Director's Corner
Understanding the Pennsylvania Early Childhood Standards
September 2026 | Director’s Corner
At St. Paul’s Preschool, we believe that young children learn best through meaningful experiences, hands-on exploration, play, and relationships with caring adults. Our curriculum is thoughtfully designed around the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards and adapted to meet the developmental needs of each age group in our preschool.
Throughout the school year, I will highlight one of the standards we are focusing on and share some of the ways our teachers bring that standard to life in the classroom.
September Focus: Approaches to Learning Through Play — AL.1 Constructing and Gathering Knowledge
As children begin a new preschool year, their classrooms become places of discovery, exploration, creativity, and choice. For our returning students, teachers revisit familiar learning centers while adding new materials and experiences that encourage children to build on what they already know. For our youngest students, teachers introduce classroom centers and help them learn how to use the materials independently.
Our classrooms are intentionally arranged so that children can easily see, choose, explore, and return materials to their proper places. Each learning center is clearly defined and labeled, helping children develop independence while encouraging them to follow their own interests.
Our Learning Centers
🧱 Block & Building Center
Children have access to age-appropriate blocks and building materials. Paper and markers encourage children to draw their own building plans, while pictures of interesting buildings from around the world inspire creativity and conversation.
🏠 Home & Dramatic Play Center
Our dramatic play areas encourage children to use their imaginations, develop language skills, and practice social interactions. Multicultural dolls, play foods, and kitchen materials help children explore different families, cultures, and everyday experiences.
📚 Library Center
A cozy library area gives children a place to look at and “read” books independently or with a teacher. Books connect to classroom themes and topics and include a variety of cultures, families, experiences, and perspectives so children can both see themselves in books and learn about others.
🧩 Small Motor & Manipulative Center
Children strengthen fine-motor skills, problem-solving abilities, and concentration through puzzles, manipulatives, sorting activities, and other hands-on materials. Clearly labeled shelves allow children to make their own choices and make it easier for them to clean up independently when they are finished.
✏️ Writing Center
Writing materials are carefully selected to match each age group's developmental level. Our youngest children may explore large crayons and paper, while older preschoolers may work with pencils, stencils, rulers, envelopes, letters, and other materials that encourage early writing and literacy skills.
🎨 Art & Sensory Center
Open-ended art materials allow children to express their creativity without a single “right” answer. Sensory experiences provide opportunities to touch, feel, manipulate, and explore materials while developing vocabulary and fine-motor skills.
🔬 Science & Discovery Center
Children are natural scientists! Our discovery areas provide opportunities to observe, touch, investigate, compare, and ask questions. Magnifying glasses, sensory materials, and age-appropriate science tools encourage children to explore the world around them.
🖼️ Children's Work on Display
Our classrooms also provide plenty of space to display children's artwork and creations. Displaying children's work tells them that their ideas and efforts are valued and gives them opportunities to talk about and reflect on what they have created.
Learning Centers Change with the Children!
Our teachers regularly refresh and adapt the materials in each learning center based on the children's developing skills, interests, questions, and classroom themes. This keeps the classroom environment exciting and meaningful while providing new opportunities for children to practice skills in different ways.
When children choose an activity, build a tower, pretend in the home center, create a painting, look through a magnifying glass, or explore a puzzle, they are doing much more than “playing.” They are constructing knowledge, solving problems, communicating, developing independence, and learning how to interact with the world around them.
This is the heart of learning through play at St. Paul’s Preschool!
Questions for the Director
Each month, I will also answer one or two questions that I receive from our preschool families. If you have a question about our program, curriculum, policies, or your child's preschool experience, I would love to hear from you.
Please send your questions to
“The Classes Look Large. Will My Child Get Enough Individual Attention?”
This is an excellent question—and one I often hear from families who are new to St. Paul’s Preschool.
Although some of our classes may look large when you see the total number of children enrolled, it is important to look at the number of teachers in each classroom. As a state-licensed, STAR 4 and NAEYC-accredited program, St. Paul’s Preschool follows required staff-to-child ratios and, in many classrooms, operates well below the required ratio.
While children are together for portions of the day—including arrival, circle time, snack, closing circle, and dismissal—much of our day is spent in smaller groups.
Teachers divide the class into three smaller groups whenever possible. This allows children to work with teachers in a more intimate setting, receive individualized guidance, practice specific skills, and have meaningful conversations with their teachers.
So, while the total enrollment number may initially seem large, your child is not spending the entire preschool day in one large group. Our classroom structure allows teachers to know their students well and provide the individual attention they need.
Are Our Teachers Trained in First Aid and CPR?
Yes! The safety and well-being of our children is always our highest priority.
All St. Paul’s Preschool teaching staff, as well as the director, maintain current certifications in Pediatric First Aid and CPR. Staff are also trained in the proper use of an AED (automated external defibrillator) and EpiPens for emergency allergy situations.
These certifications are required for employment and must remain current, with training renewed every two years.
Our staff also receives additional emergency preparedness training. The preschool team has participated in training with the Hampton Police Department, including ALICE training and Stop the Bleed training.
Our emergency procedures are outlined in the 2026–2027 Parent Handbook, available in the Parent section of our website.
Keeping Children Safe, Caring for Children Well
We know that leaving your child in someone else's care is a big step. Our goal is for every family to feel confident that their child is safe, loved, supported, and learning while they are at St. Paul’s Preschool.
From our carefully prepared classrooms to our trained and caring teachers, every part of our program is designed with your child in mind.
Thank you for trusting St. Paul’s Preschool with your most precious little ones. We are blessed to be part of their early years of learning and growth!
