Water Unit: Floating & Sinking
In a caring, supportive, clean & safe environment, we teach your child the skills & confidence to make a smooth and successful transition to Kindergarten, taking into consideration different learning styles and diversity, while striving to create a close knit classroom community.
The children will learn to share, cooperate & resolve issues in a gentle manner with experienced role models as they develop their social, emotional & problem solving skills.
"It has been my joy to teach young children for more than 20 years & provide them with the knowledge & tools to succeed in all areas & most importantly, to develop a love of learning."
We provide a multi-age program. This takes into consideration children's natural diversity.
The curriculum follows the current guidelines through the Virginia Department of Education.
Virginia's Early Learning & Development Standards (ELDS): Birth-Five Learning Guidelines
Part of my family home is used exclusively for the preschool. We have a separate entrance, a large play room where we play, explore, read, dance, sing & conduct circle time. We have an art & craft/snack room & a fully equipped bathroom. It is a clean, safe & inviting space filled with materials that encourage imaginative play, foster creativity & encourage the development of motor & social skills.
Preschool Themes:
Sept: Learning About Preschool, All About Me, Families
Oct: Fall: Apples, Leaves, Pumpkins
Nov: Thanksgiving, Turkeys, being Thankful
Dec: Winter: Holiday Celebrations, Bears & Hibernating Animals
Jan: Snow/Ice, Arctic Animals
Feb: Community Helpers, Valentine’s Day
Mar: Spring: Dr. Seuss, Baby Animals, St. Patrick's Day
Apr: Caring for the Earth, Butterflies, Frogs, Growing Vegetables
May: Mother’s Day, Under the Sea & Water
We are a nature preschool. I encourage rubber boots and rain jackets. We go outside every day.
Outdoors we feed our chickens & ducks, collect eggs, plant seeds in spring, watch them grow and tend to them.
We chase butterflies, search for bugs & explore the woods around us as we enjoy nature walks.
We go on Field trips & have guest speakers visit preschool. Past Field Trips include: the Post Office, Carter's Mountain Apple Orchard, Hollymead Fire & Rescue & Open Gate Farm, Ivy Creek Natural Area. We have had visits from a Police Officer, a Fire Truck, a local children's book author, Nurses Ashleigh & Caroline, Major Trent, Dr. Gregory & Zephyr the Magician. We enjoy occasional Community Events such as the annual Easter Egg Hunt.
Professional class and individual photos are taken every Fall at preschool by Melody Robbins Photography.
Our Day:
8:45/9:00 Group 1 arrives / Group 2 arrives
9:00-9:40 Free & Guided Play, Art/Craft
9:40-9:45 Clean Up
9:45-10:00 Group 1: Circle Time Group 2: Small Group Instruction
Group 2: Small Group Instruction Group 1: Circle Time
10:00-10:20 Snack/Toilet Break
10:20-11:30 Outdoor Play
11:30-11:45 Team Work Activities (puzzles, memory games, problem solving)
11:45/12:00 Group 1 Pick-up/Group 2 Pick-up
Our day is flexible according to the children's interests and the weather.
We often go outside for different activities and extend outdoor play.
We follow the Albemarle County School Calendar for closings and delays due to inclement weather. I offer complementary make-up days for any Snow Days missed (as they come available throughout the year).
Preschool commences the day after Labor Day & finishes the Friday before Memorial Day.
Joey Summer Camp is offered for 2 weeks each summer in June.
We conduct a daily informal and a formal assessment twice yearly to guide our teaching as well as provide you with information on your child's progress. We communicate with parents daily about their child & send home weekly communications each Friday and monthly newsletters recapping our learning and events for the month.
Alison Trimpe is the owner/director and lead teacher of Kangaroo Preschool. She earned her Master's Degree in Education, in Australia- majoring in music and art. Alison taught in Australia, the UK, & USA (Albemarle County) for 22 years at the Elementary & Pre-K levels. Australian born and raised, she has lived in Earlysville for the past 20 years with her husband & two children, chickens, ducks and dog Beau. Alison enjoys hiking, cooking, history, sewing, traveling & is fluent in French. "I truly find joy in teaching & can honestly say that I love my job!"
Alison Trimpe
Anna Swanson joined Kangaroo Preschool in Fall of 2022. Anna has over ten years' experience working with children as both a lead & an assistant teacher. Anna has taken early childhood education classes & is passionate about early childhood education. She loves connecting with children & watching them grow and learn. She is married with two children & lives in Charlottesville. Anna loves spending time outdoors, traveling, and reading.
Anna Swanson