The Preschool

A unique early childhood program to acquire a second language naturally.

At LA PETITE ÉCOLE DE CHICAGO (LPEC), we are proud to offer a stimulating preschool program designed to nurture the development of children aged 3 years and above. Based on the French curriculum, our preschool curriculum prioritizes play-based learning within a structured framework, providing your child with a solid foundation for academic and social growth.

The “Maternelle,” or preschool in French, is an essential and unique stage in your child’s education.

In France, school is mandatory for children when they turn 3. Therefore, our "Cycle 1" program includes children from 3 years old to Kindergarten. This means that PK3, PK4, and K (Petite Section, Moyenne Section, and Grande Section) students learn together.

The preschool curriculum at LPEC is taught exclusively in French to allow all students to acquire the language and benefit from bilingual education, whether their families speak French or not.

Our French language immersion preschool in Winnetka and Old Town stimulates our students' language, sensory, motor, cognitive, and social development. Each child achieves major milestones in emotional development and learns to become a student.

The last year of preschool, Kindergarten (Grande Section), is the first bookend of a two-year process when children learn the fundamentals of reading, writing, and counting. Students also begin to write in cursive, an essential skill.

This ensures that they are prepared for primary school.

Language immersion preschool

The curriculum

Our preschool programs are fully taught in French since language acquisition is a crucial step for their future success at school.

The curriculum includes five learning domains:

Language: the priority is to make sure that students are able to speak, write, and understand.
Physical Activities: these help children develop their gross and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills support their emotional development. Physical exercises, under the direction of the teacher, help students learn to follow the guidelines of each task, respect each other, and challenge themselves. Fine motor skills give them confidence to begin to hold a brush, a pencil, and eventually a pen. Our children find the space to develop intellectually.
Art: all arts and crafts enhance the students' expression, leading to improved self-confidence, as well as music, dance, theater, and circus skills.
Structure their thoughts: discover numbers and how to use them, explore shapes, organized sequences…etc.
Exploring the world: find their way in time and space, explore the natural world, objects, and matter

Evaluation process

At LA PETITE ÉCOLE DE CHICAGO, we evaluate the acquired skills of each student. A report card is issued yearly (in preschool).

Parents are invited twice a year to a private meeting with their child's teacher to speak about their child's progress and answer questions they may have.

A typical day at LPEC

Here is an example of a typical day in preschool:

8:15 to 8:30: Children arrive at the school
8:30 to 8:45: Free time
8:45 to 9:00: We gather the Children for the rituals (date, counting, alphabet, sing along….)
9:00 to 10:00: Group work: some work in autonomy on a skill they acquired, and the rest work with the teacher to learn new material. Then they switch places.
10:00 to 10:45: Snack time and recess
10:45 to 11:20: Physical education
11:20 to 11:45: The children are gathered together for a group time
12:00 to 1:15 PM: Lunch and recess