Mrs. Mary Lamping

I have been teaching Junior Kindergarten at St. Matthias since the program was created in 1999.  I received my Kindergarten and Elementary Education degree from UW-Whitewater and my Masters degree in Early Childhood from UW-Milwaukee in 2003.  I tell everyone that I have the best job ever because I get to play with children all day!  And do we have fun!!!

Junior Kindergarten introduces the four-year-old child to the wonders of school.  In a warm and positive atmosphere, a caring place is created for your child to grow - socially, emotionally, and academically.  Learning is done with a hands-on approach and in such a way that the child thinks that all we do each day is play.  Children are encouraged to be independent, and the program is set up so that this goal is achieved many times each day.

A theme approach is used to teach the children pre-reading and pre-math skills, science, social studies, and religion concepts, and develop their large and small motor skills at an age-appropriate level.  Some of the themes covered are how special we are, creation, the five senses, dinosaurs, either transportation or community helpers, nursery rhymes, plants, and farm or zoo animals.  The children also have physical education, music, guidance, and library once or twice a week with the special teachers.

We have an A.M. and a P.M. session.  Each class meets for three hours and has a capacity of 18 students.  Parents are invited to volunteer to come in once a month to assist with projects or practice skills with the children. 

In addition to the half-day program, we have introduced a full-day option in 2007-2008.  The children in this program spend half of the day with two parents who also run the MEC (Matthias Extended Care) Program and then come to me for my regular afternoon program.  In the morning the children have time to play and learn about new things.  The parents also work with them on some of the skills that they are learning in my classroom.

Stop in to see all the excitement and fun happening in Junior Kindergarten!