Our environment flexes to meet children where they are, balancing togetherness, physical awareness, and healthy risk taking. We believe children learn best by doing, exploring, and being part of the world around them. Learning happens through real experiences in both our indoor and outdoor spaces. Everyday moments are intentionally designed to invite curiosity and creative thinking.
Gorham Public Pre-K Program
Arrival / Free Play Explore
8:00
CENTER ACTIVITIES / SMALL GROUPS
8:30
morning check-in
9:00
Toileting / Snack
10:00
Creative experiences: art, music, storytelling
10:30
Outdoor adventure / Indoor Gross Motor
activities
11:00
Dismissal
11:30
Our schedule follows a steady rhythm, though changes may occur based on the needs of the day.
A Sample of Our Daily Schedule
FOR CHILDREN WHO TURN 4
BY OCTOBER 15TH
Option 1:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Class Size: Max 16
Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:8
Free to eligible Gorham residents
Details
Our focus is building confidence and independence while supporting our students as they work through social situations with guidance rather than direction.
One of the most powerful gifts we can give children is confidence in their own voice to advocate for themselves, something they carry with them long after their time with us.
ART
Process art is unstructured on purpose. It lets children make choices, stretch their thinking, and use art materials in ways that make sense to them. We’re here for that, not craft projects that say, “do it like this” or policing glue with “just a dot, not a lot.” At HOPP, we believe in FREEING the glue and letting children get messy as they explore, create, and figure things out for themselves.
CURRICULUM
Play is the foundation of all learning, and everything we do is rooted in that belief. We are child-led educators who learn alongside our students. While we have a clear framework that guides our work, learning remains responsive to the children in front of us. We pay close attention to what sparks their curiosity and support their ideas through intentional experiences, questions, and materials.
Our Public Pre K Program follows the Pre K for ME framework and aligns with Maine Early Learning and Development Standards. We incorporate Handwriting Without Tears and Heggerty Phonemic Awareness to support early literacy, along with Second Step and Zones of Regulation to support social and emotional growth. These tools help children name feelings, solve problems, and communicate their needs in real, everyday situations.
Gorham Public Pre-K Program
Each child is screened prior to enrollment or within 30 days of starting. Ongoing observation and assessment guide our teaching throughout the year, with parent teacher conferences held in both the fall and spring.
OPTION 2:
MONDAY - FRIDAY
8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
stay curious
