By Pam Teel
The Roosevelt preschoolers got to make their own pizza on Tuesday, March 24th, as they visited Vesuvio’s Restaurant in Millstone Township. They also got to take a tour of the kitchen area where they saw the big blender that makes the homemade pizza dough and the tomato press used to press fresh tomatoes for homemade sauce.
This is the second year Ms. Weber’s class has come to Vesuvio’s. “The children were really excited. They couldn’t wait to come,” Ms. Weber stated. They were all given baker’s hats and their own aluminum pan where Vesuvio’s owner, Mary Costagliola and her son Frank, gave the children step by step instructions on how to make a pizza. The best part of the trip was when they got to eat their own pies that they made.
The Preschool is a part of the Roosevelt public school, but they are open to all residents, whether living in Roosevelt or not. The preschool tuition is $325 for Roosevelt residents and $400 for children from out of town. The day starts at 8:20 am and ends at 12:30. The preschool also provides before and aftercare from 7 am to 6 pm.
The preschool’s goal is to provide a developmentally appropriate program based on knowledge about how children learn and develop, variations in development that may occur, and how to best support children’s learning and development. Children learn through hands on experiences with adults and other children, objects, ideas, and the environment. The teachers offer guidance and support so the children learn to the best of their abilities to become successful learners in future years.
The instructional program is provided through the use of individual, small, and large group activities and projects. The area’s essential to the program to develop emergent skills for kindergarten include: Social and Emotional development, Creative Arts, Health, Safety and Physical Education, Language Arts and Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and World languages.
All areas are covered using a different theme, letter, and number each week. There are different activities for three year olds and four year olds based on ability. The children participate in the physical education, art, music, and Spanish programs as well. They learn how to use computers in the computer lab, and they get to take books out of the library every week.
The preschoolers also get to go on class trips during the year. They go on hayrides, pumpkin picking, the post office, Vesuvio’s, Etra Park, and more. They get to participate in special school activities such as field day, an ice cream social, thanksgiving feasts, concerts, and class parties, to name a few. With the upper grades right there at the school, the students have an advantage to be a part of all of their activities making it easier to transition into the upper grades when the time comes.
Ms. Weber has been with the preschool since the inception of the program in 2006. She previously was the Director/head teacher of the Roosevelt Community Nursery School for ten years.
If you would like to find out more about the preschool, please contact the RPS main office at 609- 448-2798 or stop by the school. Registration for the fall is now in progress. There will be an orientation for new students in May.
It’s a great school with a lot of loving and nurturing. Check it out!