At this time of the year, parents begin the search to find a distinctive school for their kindergarteners, an important decision that sets their academic futures.
A well-rounded and integrated curriculum in a nurturing environment is a must in helping students succeed in elementary school, middle school, and beyond. We welcome parents to learn about the unique programs offered at Self Development Preschool (SDP) and Self Development Academy (SDA). Self Development Schools in Mesa offer a preschool, a K-8 program in-person school, and an online K-8 program.
SDP, a private preschool, was established nearly 35 years ago to provide an ideal early education integrating arts, science, music, and math using a thematic curriculum. The unique curriculum incorporates play as a way for children to learn about concepts of float and sink and volume while spending time at the water table. At the theatre and puppetcenter, our children learn about their and others’ emotions and how best to address them. At the library center, they develop a love for reading and appreciating works of various authors.
And of course, SDP is deeply immersed in areas such as music, art, and technology. Students listen to various genres of music. They learn about composers as well as famous painters. They become familiar with the works of masters such as Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and Van Gogh.
Most parents bring their children to SDP because it is a safe place, with nurturing and rigor in the curriculum. Often you may see children crying at the end of the day, not because they are missing their parents, but because they are having too good a time and their parents came early and children don’t want to leave. Ms. Vernetta, SDP director, a familiar face, is their favorite aspect of SDP.
Next, SDA offers an advanced kindergarten program. This program allows children to begin their educational learning experience in a caring and intellectually stimulating environment. The classroom introduces kindergarten and first-grade curriculum goals and encourages concept mastery and academic confidence.
SDA uses multi-sensory phonics instruction, focusing on visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic techniques, which reach each child’s learning styles. They learn phonemic awareness, sight words, spelling, writing, and reading within each lesson. By the end of their kindergarten year, children are reading at or above a first-grade level, writing grammatically complete sentences, and authoring and editing their own books. Mathematical components include number concepts and an introduction to addition and subtraction, with daily math facts, fact families, and word problems.
By the time SDA students reach middle school, many are prepared to enroll in Algebra I, Advanced Literature, and Advanced Science. During middle school, students have the opportunity to complete Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Advanced Literature, and Science including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Technology.
Many of these courses are not offered until high school. Students completing the eighth grade at SDA are enrolled in Honors and Advanced Placement courses upon entering high school. Additionally, many students receive high school credit for courses completed at SDA. This level of coursework enhances their grade point averages and makes them highly competitive students when applying to colleges and universities.
“I attended Self Development Preschool and Self Development Academy from the age of two years to the end of eighth grade. Even though the academics were rigorous, it never felt out of the ordinary,” said Max Gau, a graduate of Fordham University in New York and currently an intervention teacher at Self Development Academy.
“Entering high school, I was blown away at how far ahead of the other students we were because of SDA’s advanced curriculum. I found myself taking junior and senior-level classes as a freshman. This freed up the time in my schedule later in high school, which meant I could take more classes that I enjoyed along with the normal course load.”
SDA has consistently been ranked among the top elementary and junior high schools in the state and nationally. To give your children a strong foundation for developing a love for learning, please contact Self Development Academy, a tuition-free, K-8 in-person and online public charter school, at (480) 641-2640.
Give your children an early start by giving them an opportunity to participate in a highly enriched educational environment by contacting Self Development Preschool at (480) 396-3522, a private preschool that serves students from ages two to five years and has a before-and-after school program for students up to age 13 years.