Primary Program
Program Overview
Our Early Childhood Preschool program, designed for 3-6-year-olds, offers a carefully crafted environment to facilitate learning. Each classroom is uniquely suited to student needs, providing spaces for both group and independent activities. The curriculum spans Language, Arts, Practical Life, Sensorial, Science, Math, and Geography & Culture.
Equipped with classic Montessori and teacher-made materials, our classrooms emphasize a hands-on learning approach. The materials, arranged by curriculum sequence, teach single skills or concepts, offering a sense of order and harmony. Students receive lessons, explore, and observe, focusing on the process of learning rather than the product.
Our approach satisfies the natural learning tendencies of 3-6-year-olds, fostering independence, coordination, order, self-discipline, collaboration, and concentration. Teachers serve as guides, creating a learning triangle with the child and environment. The classrooms embody a caring community where respect, grace, and courtesy prevail.
Daily Schedule
7:30 - 8:45 am
Early Arrivals
8:45 am
Morning Arrivals
9:00 - 10:45 am
Montessori Work Cycle and Morning Snack
10:45 - 11:00 am
Circle Time
11:00 - 11:45 am
Free Time Outdoors
11:45 am - 12:00 pm
Transition to Classroom and Wash Hands
12:00 pm
Pickup for Half-Day Students
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Lunch Time
12:30 - 12:45 pm
Clean Up
12:45 - 2:45 pm
Nap time (3-year-olds) or Afternoon Montessori Work (4+ year-olds)
2:30 - 3:00 pm
Transition to Afternoon Pickup or Extended Day
3:00 - 6:00 pm
Extended Day
6:00 pm
School Closes for the Day
Kindergarten at WFCH
Our Kindergarten program marks the "capstone" of the Montessori three-year cycle. As the senior class, third-year students serve as role models, reinforcing cognitive skills, leadership, self-esteem, and self-reliance. They simplify complex concepts and engage in diverse activities, including special field trips, community service, and graduation. The Kindergarten Lab (KLab) provides a dynamic space for deeper Montessori curriculum exploration.
Our Kindergarten program is fully certified by the Maryland State Department of Education, meeting eligibility criteria for children turning five by September 1st. The term “Kindergarten” is used strictly to acknowledge those children in the mixed-age Primary classroom who will be eligible for first grade in September of the following year.