History
The International School for Peace is a non-profit preschool that opened in August 2004 with a focus on peace and conflict resolution. By immersing the children in multicultural language and culture experiences, the International School for Peace promotes peace within the individual, the community, and the world.
Unique Programming
The International School for Peace offers play-based full and partial language immersion preschool classes in Spanish. Our partial immersion classrooms provide English instruction (70%) with Spanish language enrichment activities (30%). Our full immersion classes are taught in Spanish. Children in all classrooms receive exposure to the language through songs, games, and cultural activities. Conflict resolution skills are used every day.
Curriculum
The International School for Peace offers a play-based, child-centered, multicultural, anti-bias curriculum. We promote and celebrate diversity in our school, community and world through stories, books, games, songs, cultural artifacts, and visual materials that positively depict all races, cultures, ages, physical abilities, religions, socioeconomic status, and family configurations without stereotyping.
Spiritual Focus
The International School for Peace has an ecumenical, non-denominational spiritual focus emphasizing the commonalities of all world religions, especially in the areas of friendship and peace.
Community
The International School for Peace will foster peace and understanding through the sponsorship of public festivals that celebrate diversity through food, dance, music, and storytelling from around the world, and works in partnership with St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church.
Classes
Partial Immersion English Preschool Program
Spanish Language Immersion Program
*all classes are offered to children who are the classroom age as of September 1, 2011, in accordance with Arizona public school birthday requirements.
Two's/Three's Class
The two and three year old class offers a play-based curriculum which allows students to make choices and develop their independence. The two and three year olds spend their outdoor time in a separate, age appropriate environment. They sing songs and listen to stories during circle time and enjoy painting, dramatic play, and helping serve snack in the classroom. Potty-training is encouraged when the individual children are ready for the process. Children have the opportunity to develop both gross and fine motor skills. This partial immersion class offers daily Spanish language enrichment through songs, games, and play.
Three's Class
The play-based, child-directed curriculum takes place both in the indoor and outdoor environments for the three year olds. Children continue to develop gross motor skills through dramatic play, music and movement, swinging, digging, pouring, and riding bikes. Fine motor skills are developed through the use of many natural materials, manipulatives, play dough, sensory materials, and writing materials. The children work on communication skills and problem solving with guidance from the teacher. Art projects in the three's class are process based and provide the children with the opportunity to explore many materials. This partial immersion class offers daily Spanish language enrichment through songs, games, and play.
Four's Class
The four's class offers a play-based curriculum that is developmentally appropriate for four your old children. The students in this class spend time in both the indoor and outdoor environments. They work on social and communication skills as they are guided through problem solving by the teacher. Fine motor skills are developed through the use of many natural materials, manipulatives, play dough, sensory materials and writing materials. Gross motor skills are developed through dramatic play, swinging, digging, pouring, riding bikes, music, and movement. Art projects in this class are process based and provide the children with the opportunity to explore many materials. Literacy and pre-literacy skills are developed through oral communication, story telling, literature, dictation, modeled and shared writing. This partial immersion class offers daily Spanish language enrichment through songs, games, and play.
Three's Spanish Immersion
The Three's Spanish immersion class offers a play-based curriculum which is taught entirely in Spanish by a native Spanish speaker. Children spend time in both the indoor and outdoor environments. They work on social and communication skills as they are guided through problem solving by the teacher. Fine motor skills are developed through the use of many natural materials, manipulatives, play dough, sensory materials and writing materials. Gross motor skills are developed through dramatic play, swinging, digging, pouring, riding bikes, music, and movement. Art projects in this class are process based and provide the children with the opportunity to explore many materials. Children enrolled in this class include native English speakers, native Spanish speakers, and bilingual students. Children in this program have the opportunity to participate in English pre-school activities during the pre-care or after-care programs.
Three's and Four's Spanish Immersion
The Three's and Four's Spanish immersion class offers a play-based curriculum which is taught entirely in Spanish by a native Spanish speaker. Children spend time in both the indoor and outdoor environments. They work on social and communication skills as they are guided through problem solving by the teacher. Fine motor skills are developed through the use of many natural materials, manipulatives, play dough, sensory materials and writing materials. Gross motor skills are developed through dramatic play, swinging, digging, pouring, riding bikes, music, and movement. Art projects in this class are process based and provide the children with the opportunity to explore many materials. Children enrolled in this class include native English speakers, native Spanish speakers, and bilingual students. Children in this program have the opportunity to participate in English pre-school activities during the pre-care or after-care programs.
Four's Spanish Immersion
The Four's Spanish immersion class offers a play-based curriculum which is taught entirely in Spanish by a native speaker. The students in this class spend time in both the indoor and outdoor environments. They work on social and communication skills as they are guided through problem solving by the teacher. Fine motor skills are developed through the use of many natural materials, manipulatives, play dough, sensory materials and writing materials. Gross motor skills are developed through dramatic play, swinging, digging, pouring, riding bikes, music, and movement. Art projects in this class are process based and provide the children with the opportunity to explore many materials. Literacy and pre-literacy skills are developed in Spanish through oral communication, story telling, literature, dictation, modeled and shared writing. Children in this program have the opportunity to participate in English pre-school activities during the pre-care or after-care programs.
Pre-Care
The pre-care program is designed for those children whose parents' work schedules require them to be dropped off between 7:45a.m. and the 9:00a.m. school start time. The pre-care program is staffed according to licensing ratio requirements and provides children with play-based child care.
After-Care
The after-care program is designed for those children whose parents' work schedules require them to be picked up between 2:30p.m. and 5:30p.m.. The after-care program is staffed according to licensing ratio requirements. After-care is a structured program that includes outdoor play, indoor play, and a group activity.