KINDERGARTEN

For most Westpark students, Kindergarten is an introduction to school-life. We offer full day classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week where students meet and exceed the Kindergarten curricular outcomes set out by Manitoba Education, as well as come to an understanding of how much God loves them.

We strive to make our Kindergarten classroom a caring environment where all students feel comfortable and safe.  Mrs. Willms is a passionate teacher who covers a wide range of academics while also teaching children about responsibility, respect, choices and consequences.

Prospective families are invited to contact Mrs. Willms for more information.
CONTACT: swillms@westparkschool.com

  • Students are taught how to recognise and print letters, and they gain an understanding of the sounds that each letter makes before they learn sight words and the basics of sentence structure.

    Daily Stations offer students hands-on tactile time to work with the alphabet, play literacy games and enjoy the Kindergarten Reading Forest! A reading-buddy program with older Westpark students fosters a literacy-centered sense of community among students.

  • As an introduction to numeracy, students learn how to identify and print numbers. They practice rational counting, creating sets of numbers, patterning, and working with measurement.

  • Westpark’s Kindergarten classroom is a place where play and learning go hand in hand.

    Students have an opportunity to choose two stations on each of their school days where they engage socially, physically, emotionally and cognitively to make sense of the world around them.  Some of the most popular choices are audio books, sensory bins, crafts, painting, Play Doh, and teacher-led numeracy and literacy games.

  • Children are introduced to a classroom environment with structures and routines in place, and plenty of time for play-based learning throughout their days.

    A great deal of social learning takes place: students learn how to dress for outside, put on their shoes, and take care of their own messes - both physically and relationally. They are taught how to take turns, share their things and their ideas, and how to share the attention of others in social environments like the classroom.

  • Music instruction begins in Kindergarten with twice-weekly music class, drawing from the First Steps in Music program which focuses on singing and beat.

    Students are introduced to unpitched percussion instruments and have three major performances, including the Christmas and Spring concerts.

  • As part of the UPSIDEDOWN PARTY chapel program, the Kindergarten class participates in outreach initiatives on a monthly basis and they host a school-wide mitten and toque drive each year.

  • “Growing up in God’s Creation”

    We are sinking deep roots into God’s goodness and truth, which helps us build strong trunks of godly character.  That helps us grow big fruit in our lives, turning this world upside Down!

  • KinderKids have many special days to look forward to, including a performance at one of our school-wide chapels, their 50th day of school class celebration in February, and a Kindergarten Graduation ceremony in June.

HOLISTIC APPROACH

  • Our students benefit from having a Resource Teacher, a team of Educational Assistants, and a School Counsellor who provide support for a host of needs. Speech therapy, occupational therapy, and educational psychological assessments are some of the additional tools available to help students thrive.

  • Westpark’s focus on developing character begins in Kindergarten. Through a ‘Behaviour Buddies’ program, students are encouraged to celebrate and nominate classmates who have demonstrated exemplary characters such as being brave, helping, and being a good friend.

  • During daily devotions and prayer, Kindergarten students learn about the Bible and build up their faith. The class participates in weekly Early Years chapels, following the UPSIDEDOWN PARTY rhythm.

    Kindergarten students are introduced to the Teaching for Transformation biblical framework, through which they learn who God has created them to be by focusing on one of the ten throughlines each month.