Two-Way Immersion

Our unique two-way immersion program is structured around equal numbers of English and Spanish-speaking children. For Spanish-speaking students, Joyce understands the great benefits to supporting native language retention, as well as English acquisition to ensure school readiness. For English-speaking students, there is also a great academic and experiential benefit to introducing a second language. Children have an immense capacity for second language acquisition and comprehension at this age. Fifty percent of our teaching staff are native Spanish speakers, and all staff speak their native language in the classroom in order to serve as strong language models for the children. In addition, having equal numbers of Spanish and English-speaking children means that students are able to learn language from one another. Diverse cultural traditions are celebrated throughout the school year and parent participation in special events is encouraged. Joyce’s unique program allows families to build friendships across language and cultural barriers.

Student and Family Literacy

Joyce Preschool focuses on the development of our students' preliteracy skills as a major part of our school readiness efforts. We emphasize literacy activities in the classroom and encourage complementary activities at home through Club Leopoldo, our family literacy program. Club Leopoldo promotes family reading, strengthens reading skills in the child's native language, and complements the classroom emphasis on literacy and language development by offering regular book packets with extensive activities for students and parents to do together, a rotating book exchange, a read-it challenge, and special workshops for families needing extra literacy support.

Parent Support and Involvement

Joyce Preschool strives to establish a foundation of parental involvement that our students and their families can then build on throughout their academic careers. The school makes specific efforts to involve families in their child’s academic success, including the child’s transition from the preschool setting into kindergarten. We hold approximately 24 family involvement events every year, including an Open House, beginning of the school year orientation, two parent-teacher conferences, five classroom cultural celebrations, several all-school gatherings, parent surveys, a school-choice informational meetings, etc. In addition, parents are encouraged to participate in their child’s education in general, and as regular classroom volunteers in particular.

Asociación de Padres de Familia: A program specifically targeting the needs of Latino parents that are mostly low-income, recent immigrants. Parent-directed workshops bring resources and discussions to families, with topics ranging from nutrition to literacy workshops, continuing education for parents, and information about the K-12 school system and school choice resources. There is also a great emphasis on participation in their child’s education, including support to promote parent involvement in and out of the classroom.