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Historical April 1996 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
This month’s spotlight is on the Hamilton Early Childhood Education Center. You may not have realized that Hamilton has a preschool, but tucked into the basement, it is truly a place worth visiting. Lead Teacher Ms. Jan Villars and Educational Assistant Ms. Gloria Austin have transformed their space into a warm, comfortable environment that young children find enchanting.
The program is for 3- to 5-year-olds and is designed around Project Construct, a process-oriented curriculum and assessment framework based on developmentally appropriate learning activities. Its premise that children should construct knowledge as a result of interaction with social, and physical worlds is based on the theory of Constructivism. At the Hamilton Early Childhood Education Center, each day begins with Circle Time.
The children prepare for the school day by singing and doing a calendar lesson or another large group activity.
The preschool room is colorful and cheery, and each day the children spend 45 minutes involved in independent creative play in an area of their choice.
For this, there are centers for dramatic play, art, blocks, and manipulatives such as letters and numbers.
There are also several areas in which the children explore and learn during small group activities.
There is a library complete with bean bags and many books.
Another corner holds an easel with paints, and the children’s artwork is displayed prominently throughout the room.
A computer, a listening center, and a recently added science area add to the children’s opportunity for excitement and discovery.
The preschool room is a serene, harmonious environment in which the children are immersed in activity. Students at the Hamilton Early Childhood Education Center attend school Monday through Thursday for a morning or an afternoon session. Fridays are reserved for Personalized Instruction or Home Visits. Twice a semester, Ms. Villars and Ms. Austin either visit and observe the children in their homes or participate in a session of personalized instruction at school with the child and his parent.
These sessions focus on making the parent aware of developmentally appropriate activities in which they can participate with their child.
The home visits give Ms. Villars and Ms. Austin additional awareness of each child’s individual developmental needs.
As part of the curriculum, the students also participate in field experience every month.
In March they went to the Museum of Transport, and in April they will take an Amtrak train from Kirkwood to the downtown station.
The Hamilton Early Childhood Education Center offers exceptional educational and developmental experience for young children.
Another exciting educational opportunity at Hamilton E C. E. -C. is the introduction of The Hamilton Holistic Summer Academy, which will be held from June 24 through August 2.
This program, for students entering grades 1-5, will offer summer enrichment through accelerated, literacy-based learning.
The literacy-based activities will incorporate traditional Language Arts and math skills in a non-traditional, holistic format which will include aesthetic, sports, community resource, and entrepreneurial components.
For more information about The Hamilton Holistic Summer Academy call Joyce Hill at 367-0552.
In April, Hamilton E. C. E. C. will be the site of the first round of the Herbert Turner Oratorical Contest.
In preparation for this event, three students were chosen as winners in a school contest on March 28, 1996. Fifth graders Monica Hayes and LaSeandra Owens were selected in the category of Original Oratory, and fourth grader LaShanda Westbrook was chosen in the category of Interpretive Oratory. Congratulations to our winners and thanks to all who participated. Good luck to Monica, LaSeandra, and LaShanda in the first round of the Herbert Turner Oratorical Contest! Also, in March, Channel 5’s Mike Owens visited Hamilton as a part of our Celebrity Readers Club.
He read a story about Jackie Robinson to us. -Cathy Ehlers’ fourth grade class.
He also talked about the importance of reading and education.
Another volunteer was Missouri State Representative 0. L. Shelton, who read to Ms. Sylvia Osikoya’s kindergarten class.
He read several stories to the children and enforced the importance of a good education.
He discussed his role as a Missouri law maker and explained the importance of following the rules at school and at home. Mr. Shelton represents the 5th legislative district which incorporates Hamilton E.C.E.C. Again, if you have connections to any local celebrities that you think would volunteer to read at Hamilton, please contact Paula Knight or Cathy Ehlers at 367-0552.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April 1996.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1996_04.pdf, printed page(s) 5; PDF page(s) 5.
