Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten are the foundation of a child’s development and are the building blocks for all future learning. The Powhatan School approach to these early years is purposeful, thoughtful, child-centered, and research-based. Powhatan’s goal is to develop a well-rounded student with a love of learning!

Powhatan’s Pre-K is purposefully designed to support great beginnings for our youngest students through a developmental learning program. The core of our philosophy supports our school motto “we learn not for school, but for life” by providing opportunities for students to be actively engaged with tactile, hands-on learning opportunities for individuals and small groups. Opportunities for social and emotional growth abound as the students explore, experiment and discover. The main goals for the program are to foster a love of learning, build confidence and learn to respect others.

The Pre-K program is a certified preschool by the state of Virginia. The class is taught by one lead teacher and one assistant teacher, which meets the school requirement of a student/teacher ratio of 9:1. Maximum enrollment for the Pre-Kindergarten program is 10–12 students. Students must turn 4 years old before the first day of school.

Our mornings include free play, language work, math, recess, music and Spanish. After lunch and nap, we have topic work with art or science and more recess. Some of the topics we cover include the seasons, health, transport, animals, butterflies and our community.

The Pre-K Cottage was expanded and fully renovated in the summer of 2019 to provide additional space for learning and playing, both inside and outside on the new wrap-around deck.

Kindergarten sets the tone for a lifetime of learning!

The kindergarten program at Powhatan School offers a child-centered, literature-based approach to learning. The focus on thematic units throughout the year encourages children to learn at their developmentally appropriate pace. An instructional assistant aids the two lead teachers in individualizing instruction to different learning styles and needs. Kindergarten has a full schedule of specials, including art, music, drama, sports and daily world language instruction (Spanish). Children present two oral projects, perform a class play, and enjoy curriculum-related field trips throughout the year.
We believe in a ‘Whole Child’ approach to education. Kindergarten is a time to develop social and emotional skills in various ways and settings. Daily recess allows children to learn through play. Classroom jobs allow for learning responsibility and civility. The classes pair with third grade for weekly Reading Buddies, giving students the opportunity to interact with older students and fostering a community atmosphere. Community service is stressed beginning in kindergarten, with projects and activities throughout the school year.