Why Choose Cranfield Academy?
As a parent, we know that you have many childcare and preschool options to choose from. We also understand that the early years offer a unique window of opportunity in a child’s development. That is why we have designed every aspect of our program to spark a love of learning that will last a lifetime!
At Cranfield Academy, we embrace each child’s interests to engage and inspire. There are many exceptional elements of our program that set us apart, including:
- Engaged, Individualized Learning – Every classroom at Cranfield Academy is unique from the other. We empower our teachers to creatively adapt their lessons to keep students interested. For example, if one group shows an interest in bugs, the teacher will incorporate insects into her lesson plans. This customized approach helps keep students motivated, inspiring a love of learning and improving comprehension and retention.
- Creative Curriculum – Our Creative Curriculum builds basic skills while also exposing children to more challenging concepts presented in ways that young children can understand. Students learn the same skills as their peers, however, teachers find ways to challenge those who are more advanced while supporting those who may need additional help. All activities are purposeful and targeted towards the development of the individual child.
- Physical and Cognitive Development Through Hands-On Experiences – From developing sensory, gross and fine motor skills, to learning math and science and building literacy skills, our Creative Curriculum makes it all possible through fun, hands-on activities. For example, to improve literacy and develop sensory skills, our youngest learners may participate in rolling playdough into letters. Four-year olds may be making slime, a great sensory activity that encourages cognitive and physical development! Every activity is hands-on and age-appropriate to reinforce the learning process.
- Early Exposure to Science and Math – Science and math are often overlooked in preschools and daycare centers, as many focus solely on literacy. At Cranfield Academy, children are exposed to math and science through fun learning activities which enhance literacy as well. Science concepts are brought to life through exciting, hands-on experiments. Math skills are built through interactive activities. Our students explore and discover math and science in motion!
- Social-Emotional Development Through Character Education – We believe in developing the whole child at Cranfield Academy. That is why we take the time to develop each child socially and emotionally, as well as cognitively and physically. We teach children how to use language to express their feelings. This is an important step in learning how to handle social conflict peacefully. In the preschool classroom, we go a step further by introducing empathy so children begin to consider the feelings of others. Character education encourages children to become leaders and responsible citizens.
- Engaging Enrichment Programs Taught by Specialized Instructors – Inspiring children to appreciate the arts is an important part of childhood development. That is why we include in our tuition various enrichment opportunities taught by local experts. Our dynamic music program taught by Mr. MusicMan Company once a week, delivers high energy music lessons to enhance social and cognitive health as well as gross and fine motor skills. Our theater and acting program focuses on building children’s confidence and improving communication skills through creative play and drama-based games. Our Spanish program, also included in our tuition, is taught by a native speaker with over 13 years of early childhood experience. Through interactive Spanish lessons involving fun games, traditional songs and stories, children develop better critical thinking, memory, and literacy skills.
- A Robust Health and Wellness Plan – We believe that healthy kids are happy kids, better prepared to learn and grow! That’s why we are dedicated to strengthening the mind, body, and spirit of our students. We have a full service, professional kitchen and a private chef on campus who prepares healthy, child-friendly meals and snacks each day on site. Children also have opportunities to explore our gracious playground with meandering paths, shaded play areas and fun water play activities. Healthy kids need a regular sleep routine to restore energy and improve memory. We provide clean sheets and sleep sacks to make naptime as comfortable as possible.
In addition, parents have the option to add additional fitness enrichment activities such as Soccer Shots and GymTastics. Soccer Shots is an exciting children’s soccer program that focuses on character development and skill building. GymTastics offers a mix of sports, fitness, and gymnastics that keeps children’s energy and attention levels high, enhancing the physical development of each child.
- Developmental Milestones Achieved with Proper Guidance – Learning how to use the bathroom on their own is a big developmental milestone for our little ones. At Cranfield Academy, potty training is handled on a case-by-case basis for the young two’s, as per the request of parents. For the older two’s, the whole group has a potty schedule, which reinforces success and helps avoid accidents. Our staff is committed to making sure each student is nurtured to reach these milestones at his or her own pace.
- Close Parent-Teacher Relationships and a Strong Sense of Community – One of the things that makes Cranfield so unique is our school culture. At Cranfield Academy, we emphasize the importance of building relationships with our families. We host many family events such as a costume parade, Thanksgiving Luncheon Potluck, holiday musical program for our preschool families, Easter egg hunt, secret reader program, and Community Helpers (Career Day). Our doors are always open to parents and families at Cranfield, who are welcome to come in and have lunch with their children on any given day. Parents can volunteer in classrooms as well. Nursing mothers can come in and nurse according to their nursing schedules.
We value close communication with our families. We use an app called Brightwheel to connect with parents daily, sharing pictures and videos throughout the day. We also send out a weekly newsletter with updates every Friday. In addition, we offer parent-teacher conferences beginning in preschool.
- A Safe, Secure Environment – Safety is a top priority at Cranfield Academy. Our doors remain locked, and an access code is required to enter. Every family has a unique code for access. We scan the ID of all visitors who come on campus, and provide a name tag upon entry. We use the Raptor Security System, which uses advanced technology to screen all visitors at check-in.
The best way to learn what makes Cranfield Academy so unique is to schedule a tour to see our amazing program and facilities for yourself. Please contact us to schedule your private tour today!
