Preschool (PreK 3 & 4) at St. Margaret School
Welcome to St. Margaret School’s Preschool, where we are dedicated to laying the groundwork for your child’s academic journey in a nurturing and supportive environment.
As a premier private PreK 3 and PreK 4 school nestled in Bel Air, Maryland, we are committed to providing a comprehensive educational experience that prepares our students for success in Kindergarten and beyond.
At St. Margaret School, we believe in the power of hands-on learning and interactive projects to engage young minds. Our experienced educators utilize a diverse range of teaching strategies and projects to introduce academic concepts in a way that is both fun and effective. Through carefully planned activities, we foster a love for learning and equip our students with the foundational skills they need to excel in Kindergarten.
Parents are confident in knowing their children are being educated in a comfortable and nurturing environment which provides an educational curriculum that allows children to achieve their highest potential.
Preschool By The Numbers
Student to Teacher Ratio in PreK3
Student to Teacher Ratio in PreK4
Different Zip Codes Represented
Total Number of Students in the Preschool Program
Preschool Overview
Our Preschool program for PreK3 and PreK4 program is meticulously crafted to prepare students for the challenges and excitement of Kindergarten through a multi-faceted approach to learning. Utilizing a variety of strategies and projects, we foster academic growth while nurturing the holistic development of each child. Our curriculum emphasizes a hands-on, multi-sensory learning approach, utilizing center time, books, songs, technology, and art to enhance fine motor skills and auditory and visual learning.
At St. Margaret School, we are committed to providing a safe, caring, and Catholic learning environment where every child can thrive and succeed in Kindergarten and beyond. Beyond academics, we cultivate social, emotional, and spiritual growth through free play, story time, show and tell, music, crafts, and outdoor activities. Engaging in prayer services, community service projects, and cultural arts activities further enriches our students’ educational experience, instilling values that will guide them on their educational journey and beyond.
FAQs About Preschool
PreK3 Daily Schedule
PreK 3 hours are from 8 to 11:30 am.
Schedule:
Table Activities
Morning Circle & Everyday Literacy
Literacy Centers & Religion
BEAR Time & Share Time
Math
Snack and Recess
PreK4 Daily Schedule
School Hours are 8 am to 3 pm.
Morning Schedule:
Table Activities
Morning Circle & Everyday Literacy
Literacy Centers & Religion
BEAR Time & Share Time
Math
Snack and Recess
Afternoon Schedule:
Lunch, Story Time & Rest
Centers including, library, writing, ABC & words, Math, Science & Discovery, Building & Blocks, Dramatic Play, Arts & Crafts, Music & Movement, Technology, and Sesnory Table
Recess
Closing Circle
Age Requirements for Admissions
Students entering Pre-K 3 must be (3) years of age prior to September 1st of the current year.
Students entering Pre-K 4 must be (4) years of age prior to September 1st of the current year.
All children must be potty trained to enter our preschool program.
Subject Areas
As a Catholic School in Bel Air, MD, here at St. Margaret School we prepare our preschool students through a comprehensive academic program. Thee preschool curriculum highlights include religion, math, and English language arts.
In religion, students follow the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s curriculum, teaching values, and a sense of community. In math, students learn counting, subitizing, and measurement. English language arts fosters curiosity, active reading, and vocabulary development.
In preschool, students are also introduced to subjects like science, technology, and the arts, laying a strong foundation for future learning. For a more in-depth look at each subject please click on the toggles below!
Religion
“Bringing Good News” is the Archdiocese of Baltimore Religion Curriculum for Elementary Schools. This standards-based curriculum serves as a guide, a roadmap for both teachers and students as they embark on a journey, which will provide them with the knowledge and understanding of the faith as witnessed in the teachings and the traditions of the Catholic Church. The curriculum is built on the Six Tasks of Catechesis: Promoting Knowledge of the Faith; Liturgical Education; Moral Formation; Teaching to Pray; Education for Community Life; and Missionary Initiation and is aligned with the Assessment of Catholic Religious Education (IFG:ACRE). By the completion of preschool, students will master a variety of skills including:
- Identify self and my family as belonging to God’s family.
- Identify the Bible as a special book about God.
- Dramatize the stories about Jesus from the Bible, i.e. The Last Supper, The Christ Child in the Temple, The Good Samaritan.
- Demonstrate how we show our love by using kind words and positive actions.
- Participate in prayer with the family, alone, in class and at Church.
- Identify the saints as God’s special friends who are part of the family of the Church in heaven.
- Discover that God has made each of them special and that individual differences are gifts from God.
- Understand when we help our family and friends we are showing love to others like Jesus did.
Mathematics
The curriculum for all elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore include the following units:
- Counting and Cardinality
- Operations and Algebraic Thinking
- Measurement and Data
- Numbers and Operations in Base Ten
- Geometry
- Numbers and Operations
Catholic educators never forget that our schools exist to bring our students to Christ. By continuing to implement new standards that are challenging, we work to fulfill the promise of quality Catholic education that educates the whole child, both mind and soul. By the completion of preschool, students will master a variety of skills including:
- Count groups of objects to 10 in order to solve a problem.
- Subitize: immediate recognition of the number of a group without counting.
- Manipulate actual, physical objects to represent the problem when working on a solution (e.g. apples to represent apples).
- Use measurement vocabulary when describing the attributes of objects.
- Recognize shapes in their real-world environment.
English Language Arts
The English Language Arts Curriculum for the Archdiocese of Baltimore is designed using the Catholic, College and Career Ready clusters as its foundation. Through literature, this course of study fosters students’ Catholic identity, shaping them to be models of Christian living for others. This curriculum is fully integrated with our Catholic faith. We provide students with a curriculum that is rigorous and rich in literature, oral and written language, grammar, writing, vocabulary, informational literature, and multimedia/technology. By the completion of preschool, students will master a variety of skills including:
- Exhibit curiosity and interest in learning new vocabulary (e.g. ask questions about unfamiliar vocabulary).
- Describe the relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear (e.g., what person, place, thing, or idea in the text an illustration depicts).
- Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.
- Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.
- Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs describing the same general action (e.g., walk, march, strut, prance) by acting out the meanings.
Additional Subject Areas
While there are not defined standards in preschool for the following subject areas, Catholic schools offer exploration and introduction to the content that will be learned in future grade levels:
- Science
- Instructional Technology
- Social Studies
- Visual and Performing Arts
- Physical Education/Health
- World Languages
Ready to Learn More About Our Catholic Preschool in Bel Air, MD?
Discover the excellence of St. Margaret School’s Preschool Program! Begin paving the way for your child’s promising future today. Reach out to us for inquiries or to arrange a personalized tour, and delve into the advantages of a Catholic education. Discover our rich curriculum, seamless technology integration, dynamic arts and music offerings, invigorating athletics, and stimulating array of clubs and activities. Let’s together craft a well-rounded educational experience for your child at St. Margaret School, where excellence thrives within a nurturing Catholic community!
Explore St. Margaret School By Grade Level
Early Education (Pre-K3-Pre-K4)
Elementary (K-5)
Middle (6-8)
Ready to Explore St. Margaret School?
Located in Bel Air, Maryland St. Margaret School is a private Catholic School for students in PreK-3 through 8th Grade. To learn more about our school community and the admissions process we encourage you to contact our Admissions team today.