SOMERSET ACADEMY

INFORMATION FOR YOUNG 5's PROGRAM
September 2015 – June 2016

Many families are faced with a difficult decision when determining their child's kindergarten readiness. Often this occurs when a child's birthday is in the few months just prior to the November 1 deadline (the age eligibility requirement for entrance into kindergarten set by the State of Michigan for school districts) or when a child's development might benefit from an additional year. At Somerset Academy, we have developed a program, "Young 5's", that provides an additional year of school between prekindergarten and kindergarten in order to support these children. Some aspects of our unique program are listed below.

• Children must be 5 years old by December 1.
• The Young 5's program meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons.
• Class size will be limited to twelve (12) children with one teacher, or sixteen (16) children with two teachers.
• Curriculum has been developed by our staff, guided by the Michigan Department of Education's Standards of Quality for Prekindergarten and the Grade Level Content Expectations for Kindergarten.
• Included in the curriculum are areas of content such as language and early literacy, creative exploration, physical education, mathematics, science, social studies, technology, social/emotional development, and handwriting.
• Families may supplement their child's Y-5 schedule by registering for additional sessions in our prekindergarten program. While in the pre-k classroom, each child will receive additional support from their Y-5's teacher along with opportunities for enrichment. NOTE: Each member of the pre-k staff holds a degree in Early Childhood or a related field.
• Tuition rates and payment schedule follow that of our preschool and prekindergarten programs.
• The teacher for this year's program is Alayna Bialick. Alayna has been a part of the teaching staff for 3 years. She obtained a Bachelors Degree from the University of Michigan and her teaching certificate from Eastern Michigan University. Her past experience includes teaching kindergarten in the Berkley school district.

Please contact the school for additional information
(248) 643-8404