Get an Early Start on School Success!

Summit's Early Starter program (for 3-5 year-olds) is based on Ontario Ministry of Education Kindergarten Learning Outcomes. What makes this program unique is its personalized student-teacher ratio (4 to 1). Children receive individualized attention as Summit educators foster literacy, numeracy, fine motor and social skills. Every two-hour, fun-filled learning experience actively involves the children in acquiring the early literacy and numeracy skills that are so necessary for school success.

   Summit's Early Starter program provides children with solid preparation for their journey into reading. Our literacy program covers the first three levels on the Continuum of Learning to Read: print awareness, speech sound awareness and phonemic awareness. The Early Starter program is based on cutting-edge research, which indicates that phonemic awareness is the number one predictor of future reading and spelling success. Jolly Phonics is featured in our literacy program.

Each learning session features a typical preschool structure, including: an introduction to the Jolly Phonics letter of the week; the language circle; the math circle; individual activities tailored to meet each student's needs; group activities; educational songs; a craft which reinforces the circle concepts; educational computer programs; fine motor activities such as printing letters and numerals, cutting and pasting, drawing; free exploration of educational puzzles and activities; and, story time. These activities also foster social skills which are crucial for children venturing into JK and SK. Let Summit's individualized instruction, and 4 to 1 student-teacher ratio, expand your young child's thinking and learning skills!

"I really enjoyed the Early Starter program at Summit for my son because he received small group learning which gave him more confidence in his reading, writing and numbers. As a parent I loved it because it wasn't homework sheets that I had to struggle to get him to do at home; all the learning was done with his Summit teacher. My son enjoyed the Early Starter program so much that when he entered Grade 1 he asked if he could continue at Summit if he paid with his own money! I would recommend the Early Starter program to any parent of a 3-5 year old."

Teresa Renee, mother of an Early Starter student at Summit's Stratford

"The most recent reading research indicates that phonemic awareness (knowledge of the sounds of a language) is the number one predictor of future reading and spelling success. It makes sense, as children with a strong understanding of the sounds of a language will be more able to apply them to letters and effectively sound out words when reading and spelling."

Program Specialist, Teresa O'Regan