Private Kindergarten

Meeting the Individual Needs of Each Student.

Ivybrook Academy’s Private Kindergarten focuses on small group work to meet each students' academic needs. We know that no two children are the same, and each student comes to us with their own strengths, areas of growth, and ways he/she learns. Our goal in our small groups is to honor these differences while providing a tailored educational plan that meets each student where they are academically and socially. We do this through both formal and informal assessments.

During our small group work, our literacy lessons focus on reading and writing fundamentals we know our children will be asked to utilize throughout elementary school. In our literacy groups, we present a balanced reading approach to our students to ensure they become proficient, lifelong readers. In this approach, educators integrate instruction with reading and writing experiences so that students learn how to apply literacy strategies and skills in authentic ways.

Throughout these lessons, students will learn the following:

· How to pair phonics

· Decoding skills

· Fluency

· Comprehension

· Oral language

· Vocabulary

· Writing skills ​

Our leveled readers offer us an opportunity to continually challenge our children by assessing their proficiency at each level and moving them up as the skills in that level are mastered. ​

Cary Full building

Helping Them Discover the World Around Them

Our Kindergarten teacher also creates and implements Science and Social Studies to meet state standards. These lessons are hands-on and expose students to a wide array of topics to build background and schema to further their understanding of each topic. Each week you will receive an update on what students are diving into and exploring in these areas.

We are honored and humbled by the continued interest in our Private Kindergarten at Ivybrook. When this classroom began, it was to meet the needs of our community and students for in-person learning but has blossomed into a growing program that has enriched our schools.

Math & the Montessori Approach

When working in our math small groups, we implement the Montessori approach. Our classrooms each have diverse Montessori materials that are utilized to foster both independent and critical thinking skills. One of the reasons the Montessori approach to math is so successful is because it uses various materials that engage children's senses, allowing for learning to take place across multiple intelligences and domains. Mathematical awareness is assessed and taught across several foundational categories. The children engage in small group lessons focused on numerical awareness, measurement and data, geometry, patterning, and advanced skills that include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.​

Our Approach Cultivating Their Unique Potential
  • Observe & Customize

    Craft educational plans and opportunities based on each child's individual learning style

  • Explore & Discover

    Utilize the physical environment as a rich resource for exploration, inquiry, and thought

  • Respect & Collaborate

    Model and encourage respect and collaboration in every aspect of daily life

  • Honor & Document

    Value children's voices and showcase their importance through documentation