sunshine

Education

The Tender Year's family includes traditionally operated early development and educational centers. Each site typically provides care for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old. Each Tender Year's Learning Center implements the High/Scope approach to learning in the pre-k and preschool programs.The infant and toddler program is supplemented by locally developed Planned Activities for Learning (PAL) Program.

High Scope

Since we believe that children learn best by pursuing their personal interests and goals, children are encouraged to make choices about materials and activities throughout the day. As they pursue their choices and plans, children explore, ask and answer questions, solve problems, and interact with classmates and adults. In this kind of environment, children naturally engage in key experiences; these experiences include opportunities in creative representation, language and literacy, initiative and social relations, movement, music, classification, seriation, number, space, and time.

PAL (Planned Activities for Learning)

The PAL Program serves as a resource to infant and toddler teachers in providing an overall structure to the care and developmental activities of infants and toddlers. Infant and Toddler programs are not a scaled-down version of a good program for preschool children. The philosophy supports that children from birth to age 3 have unique characteristics and needs.In all areas of child development there is a sequence of stages that are recognizable. The PAL Program focuses on appropriate activities to allow for optimum growth during each of these periods.

Georgia Pre-K

Established in 1993, and funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education, the Pre-K Program provides four-year-old children with a high-quality preschool experience. Each child is supported in his efforts to make decisions, think creatively, and solve problems at his own pace; providing the learning experiences needed to establish a solid academic foundation.

To participate, your child must be 4 years old on September 1st of the given school year. Program hours are from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm, and generally follow local public school calendars. The core instructional program is free; however, fees may be charged for meals, extended day services, and extra-curricular activities.

Georgia Pre-K - Building a strong foundation

Our nationally recognized curricula are developmentally appropriate for four-year-old children. Each classroom has a low student-to-teacher ratio and features a certified lead teacher and an assistant teacher. Instruction in Language and Literacy teaches children to recognize the alphabet, write their name, and understand that writing is communication. As children explore the natural environment, they learn vital Math and Science skills, such as the ability to communicate observations, to make comparisons of size, shape, length, and weight, and to count and sort objects into groups. Finally, through positive interaction with other children, four-year-olds learn acceptable social conduct and essential communication skills.

Georgia Pre-K - Resources and Registration

Available Resources Free seminars and parent/teacher conferences keep you informed of your child’s progress, and of trends in early childhood education.

Registration is conducted on a "first-come/first-served" basis.

Registration periods typically follow local public school kindergarten registration (February and March). Call your local center for details. The following documents are needed to ensure your child’s enrollment:

  1. Proof of Georgia residency
  2. Copy of child's birth certificate
  3. Proof of ear, eye, and dental examination
  4. Proof of current required immunization (form 3231)
  5. Copy of child's social security card
  6. Proof of participation in any government programs
  7. Bright from the Start enrollment forms
  8. Tender Year's enrollment forms
  9. Tender Year's Georgia Pre-K Enrollment Contract