Kids Connection Elementary School Enrichments
At Kids Connection, we feel that an integral part of quality education comes from exposing students to enrichment opportunities. We strive to offer after school classes that not only teach children a new skill or concept, but also encourage them to learn in new and different ways.
All of our enrolled students participate in physical education and perceptual motor training classes, enhance their computer skills in our state-of-the art computer lab, and grow in our formalized music program. Starting in first grade, students enjoy our Spanish language program which also introduces Latin culture, history and traditions. Visit our Curriculum Guide to learn more!
Field Trips
Early in the fall, teachers will give an outline of the field trips planned for the school year. All field trips, including walking field trips, require parents to sign a permission form authorizing students to leave the KC campus. Buses are normally used for all field trips except for walking field trips.
After School Enrichment Programs
Each semester Kids Connection offers a variety of Enrichment classes to enhance your child’s after school experience. It’s the perfect opportunity for your child to try a new activity or progress in a current interest, all within the safety and supervision of our program.
In past semesters, we have offered Architectural Design, Sewing, Ukulele, Soccer, Creative Writing, and other fun and educational classes. During past semesters, we have offered enrichment classes, including Abacus & Mental Arithmetic, Learn to Knit, Yoga, Game Design with Minecraft Education Edition, Computer Typing, Book Club, Taekwondo, Drawing, Chess, Exploring the Wonders of STEM, Golf, Bollywood Dance, and Math Olympiad.
The programs are optional and are offered at an additional fee. Enrichment classes are available to all Kids Connection students and all students registered in our Kids Connection After School program. Classes are grade appropriate and some may not be open to all grades. Enrichment classes change each semester. Parents are welcome to make enrichment class suggestions.
Mandarin
In the Kids Connection Mandarin Program, students will improve upon their Mandarin listening, speaking, reading and writing skills by learning about Chinese culture, interacting through conversation, and participating in creative and immersive class projects.
We will offer three class levels which will be designed to effectively advance our students’ from their current Chinese proficiency to the next level.
Mandarin is available to those enrolled in our Kids Connection afterschool programs. This program is optional and is offered at an additional nominal fee. The schedule below is subject to change.
Beginner Level Mandarin – Kindergarten
Monday-Friday, 30 minutes, 2:30-3:00pm
This class will concentrate on improving listening and speaking skills and increasing interest in Mandarin by learning through playing vocabulary, conversation, and writing games.
After completing this series, students will be able to develop daily communication skills in Chinese including greetings, introducing family members, talking about our communities, asking simple questions, buying groceries and ordering in restaurants. The goal will be to recognize 350 Chinese characters and write from memory over 50 Simplified Chinese characters.
Beginner/Intermediate Mandarin
Monday-Friday, 45 minutes, 3:15-4:00pm
This beginner/intermediate level class is designed for students who have already learned basic communication skills in Mandarin in grades K-5 or are brand new to Mandarin in grades 1-5.
We will start with Pinyin (Chinese Phonetic Guide) and concentrate on improving students’ pronunciation. Besides basic greeting conversations, we will also have conversations about personal introductions, countries and languages, jobs and careers, and daily routine. After completing this series, children will have Chinese communication skills, with the goal to recognize over 400 Chinese characters and write from memory approximately 100 Simplified Chinese characters.
Advanced Mandarin / Native Speaker
Monday-Friday, 45 minutes, 4:15-5:00pm
The advanced level class is designed for students who have a Mandarin language background.
We will develop students’ language skills by having discussions based on our reading materials. We will have presentations about school life, daily life, traveling, and Chinese holidays. After completing this series, the goal will be for the students to be able to write from memory approximately 450 Chinese characters, use over 50 idioms, and create and deliver a 2 minute presentation in Chinese!
Chinese Culture
To promote a productive learning process in all class levels, we will celebrate two main traditional festivals in China, the Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese New Year. Students will have numerous opportunities to communicate with the teacher and immerse themselves in Mandarin. The communicative learning experience will also help learners to build their leadership skills, communication skills, and empathy towards people from different cultures.