Noah's Ark Curriculum Overview

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Noah’s Ark Pre-K/Daycare is fully accredited and meets New York State Early Education Standards. Children ages three to five engage in hands-on activities designed to stimulate their imaginations, ignite their curiosity, and prepare them for Kindergarten. Noah’s Ark students experience the excitement of learning about themselves and the wider world, all while enjoying the warmth and safety of our ‘home away from home’ atmosphere.

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Our loving and experienced teachers provide a healthy mixture of structured and unstructured, theme-based activities for both large and small groups. These activities encourage students to develop:

• Strong Cognitive Abilities

• Motor Coordination

• Language and Social Skills

• Emotional and Spiritual growth

 

The children of Noah’s Ark also benefit from the many facilities and programs that St. Mary’s – St. Alphonsus Regional Catholic School has to offer.  They enjoy regularly-scheduled classes in music, physical education, STREAM, library and, foreign language provided by 5th grade language ambassadors. Students are introduced to Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies, Arts and Religion, with a variety of age-appropriate lessons, crafts, and activities. Weekly classroom themes also provide inspiration for fiction and nonfiction reading.

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As your child approaches Kindergarten age, our early educators are here to assist you in the important decision as to whether your child is ready. Our team of experienced teachers would be happy to meet with you and your child to talk about his or her readiness, and help you pick which program would best meet his or her academic, social, and emotional needs.

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- Religion -

As important as academics are at SMSA, they represent only part of what constitutes an SMSA education.  We educate the whole child - academic, emotional, social and spiritual - a unique and successful formula which sets us apart from other schools.

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As an academic community we strive to identify, encourage, and develop our student’s talents.  As a Christian community we go one step further, teaching them that those talents are gifts from God to be shared with the world for the good of others, reminding them that the greatest among us is the one who serves the least.

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Students at SMSA learn they are unique, beloved children of a compassionate God. This belief shapes all that takes place at SMSA and produces the welcoming, joyful and accepting atmosphere found here.

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All students participate in regular classroom instruction in the Catholic Faith as expressed by the Church’s Magisterium. The goal it to help our Catholic students grow in that faith, and provide students of other faiths with an understanding of the Church’s teachings and traditions.  About one third of our students are from a non-Catholic faith tradition.

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SMSA students attend Mass weekly, (Noah's Ark attends when appropriate) and all parents are welcome to join us.  Reconciliation is offered for Grades 3-8 twice yearly (Advent and Lent).  We pray daily, both as a school family and in our classrooms, and students have the opportunity to visit the Adoration chapel once weekly with their class.  

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All students participate in Community service, a natural step of putting the gospel message into action.  Food pantry items are collected weekly for St. Mary’s Food Pantry, and classes participate in various other activities such as clothing drives and visits to local nursing homes. We have a proud history of generosity responding to suffering in our own community and in response to national or global disasters.

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Opportunities for self-reflection, worship and prayer:

• Each day: All School Prayer at morning assembly and at the beginning of each class.

• Once a Week:

  • Mass at St. Mary’s Church

  • Eucharistic Adoration in the school’s chapel.

• During the seasons of Advent and Lent Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered.

We believe that we are called to serve our brothers and sisters, especially the poor and vulnerable.Throughout the year all SMSA students participate in projects designed to alleviate suffering and respond to the gospel message of service to others, including but not limited to:

• Weekly non-perishable food donations to support St. Mary’s Food Pantry

• Creation of valentines for local shut-ins

• Winter and spring clothing drives that benefit local service agencies