A Stevenson education lays the foundation for a lifetime of learning. Building that foundation begins in Stevenson’s Kindergarten, a program for academically curious and engaged five and six year olds which stands alone as a Center of Excellence on the Monterey Peninsula.
With a combined 22 years of teaching experience and an intimate understanding of Stevenson’s mission statement, Wendy Hendricks and Vicki Copeland set the standard for Kindergarten education. Together they have built their dynamic and engaging program around the core facets of Stevenson’s mission statement: Academic Success, Delight in Learning, For A Joyful Life. Both teachers credit the school’s leadership and students for their success in the classroom.
Vicki describes how the School’s mission works in the classroom; “The mission statement is really a cycle in kindergarten…the delight in learning fuels the student’s academic success and continues to give daily energy to their daily joyful life. We strive to create activities that are exciting and engaging, shaving cream ABC’s, rainforest fruit salad, fruit loop patterns, water play with food color and oil, volcanoes of baking soda and vinegar, Van Gough still life of Sunflowers, goldfish addition, free play with magnets, blocks, play dough…. Olivia, my daughter and a Kindergarten student last year, informed me last year that Kindergarten was better than ice-cream. That was her ultimate compliment to the program.”
Wendy confesses, “I wouldn’t want to teach anywhere else.” She further emphasizes how the open collaboration and innovation found among teachers and the school’s Principal, Molly Bozzo, support her teaching content and process. Vicki concurs with Wendy’s assessment by saying, “We have all of the educational tools at our fingertips, including Smart Boards, a cutting edge technological tool that defines our classroom. Students at Stevenson are happy, curious and full of hope about school and education. These kids truly believe they can be anything they want to be when they grow up, from a Princess to the President.”
Wendy and Vicki delight in their students gaining a healthy self-concept as a result of the warmth, shared academic rigors, and acceptance experienced throughout Stevenson’s learning community. Through an array of learning contexts, Wendy and Vicki provide engaging, relevant activities that offer powerful and complete learning experiences for their students. Wendy defines this as, “aiming to give each child as many a-ha moments as possible.” Independent and critical thinking, in-depth experiential learning, curiosity, artistic expression, and overall reflection are educational values that shape Stevenson students’ joyful perspectives in and out of Wendy and Vicki’s classrooms.
If you're interested in enrolling your child at Stevenson School, click below for the application process and to schedule a personal campus tour:
Applying to Stevenson
Schedule a Campus Visit
Kindergarten 2010 Class Page
Kindergarten Curriculum Description
For additional information about the Carmel Campus, visit the following links:
A Parent's Perspective Video
Carmel Campus Overview Video