Serving beautiful Willow Glen since 2007
License #434408891
Through structured days, steady guidance, and hands-on discovery, children build confidence, responsibility, and practical skills that support lifelong growth.
Through a consistent daily rhythm and intentional guidance, children build confidence, independence, and a strong foundation for kindergarten.
Our goal is not only kindergarten readiness, but confident, capable children who feel secure, supported, and ready for what comes next.
Learning to recognize emotions, navigate challenges, practice self-regulation, and build confidence through caring relationships.
Practicing everyday life skills, making choices, solving problems, following routines, and taking responsibility for personal tasks.
Friendship & Community
Building meaningful friendships, learning to cooperate with others, resolving conflicts respectfully, and experiencing a strong sense of self.
Communication & Language
Expressing thoughts and ideas with confidence while strengthening listening skills, vocabulary development, and communication.
Academic Readiness
Developing strong foundations in literacy, mathematics, focus, critical thinking, and problem-solving through hands-on learning.
Character & Faith
Growing in kindness, respect, responsibility, compassion, and integrity through daily faith-based teaching and real-life practice.
Our day follows a predictable rhythm that helps children feel secure, focused, and ready to learn.
8:00 – Welcome & Connection
Children ease into the morning with guided play and meaningful time to connect with teachers, creating a calm and confident start.
9:00 – Circle & Foundations
Songs, stories, phonics, numbers, and classroom routines build early academic confidence and group participation skills.
9:30 – Montessori Work Time
Hands-on learning in math, language, science, art, and practical life. Teachers guide and support individualized growth at each child’s developmental level.
10:30 – Discovery & Social Learning
Dramatic play, blocks, reading, and enrichment activities strengthen creativity, collaboration, and relational skills.
11:10 – Outdoor Exploration
Daily outdoor movement, gardening, and sand and water play support physical development, coordination, and emotional regulation.
12:00 – Family-Style Lunch
Children practice independence, table manners, and conversation in a calm and respectful setting.
12:30 – Bible & Character
Stories, prayer, and worship reinforce kindness, patience, gratitude, and responsibility.
1:00 – Rest & Reset
Full-day students recharge with nap or quiet time, allowing their bodies and minds to reset. Afternoon – Spanish & Enrichment Spanish is woven naturally through conversation, circle time, and interactive activities.
4:00 – Outdoor Play
Children return outside for active movement and cooperative play.
5:00–6:00 – Small Group Play & Reading Room
The day winds down with building, quiet play, and time in our reading room before a smooth transition home.
We believe behavior is communication — something to understand and guide with intention.
Children are supported with empathy, clear expectations, and consistent boundaries. When emotions run high, we respond calmly, helping children regulate, take responsibility, and repair relationships.
Our approach is connection-based, guiding children from frustration toward self-control and from uncertainty toward confidence. This steady environment allows children to feel secure and ready to grow.
Faith is woven into our day through prayer, Bible stories, and everyday conversations that reinforce kindness, patience, gratitude, and responsibility.
Independence is built gradually. Children are given opportunities to try, practice, and problem-solve, with guidance close by when they need it.
Preparation at First Discoveries goes beyond worksheets and readiness lists. Children grow through meaningful interaction within a rich, hands-on environment designed to strengthen curiosity, confidence, and capability.
A Mixed-Age Learning Community
Because we are a mixed-age classroom, we intentionally support both our youngest learners and our Pre-K and Transitional Kindergarten students at their developmental level.
For our young preschoolers (ages 2–3), this means building foundational milestones. Through predictable routines, guided play, and steady encouragement, children expand language, strengthen motor skills, follow simple directions, practice turn-taking, and begin developing emotional awareness.
For our Pre-K and Transitional Kindergarten students, growth deepens. Children build early literacy, phonics, writing, number sense, fine motor development, and classroom readiness through active learning — not pressure. Whether a child is beginning to write their name or already reading simple sentences, we support growth at their individual level.
Mixed-age learning is intentional. Younger children learn by observing older peers. Older children build leadership and empathy as they model skills and help others. This structure naturally reduces comparison pressure and fosters collaboration rather than competition.
“Older students take on small leadership roles within our classroom community, strengthening responsibility and confidence.” (for this quote only pull it out in the middle to call attention and bring curiosity)
As a founding partner in Valley Christian School’s Exemplary Preschool Initiative, our Pre-K graduates are eligible for the $1,000 Exemplary Preschool Scholar Award and priority enrollment.
Bilingual Growth
First Discoveries is a bilingual school, where English and Spanish are woven naturally throughout the day. Morning instruction is taught in English, while Spanish is reinforced through songs, conversation, and activities in the afternoon. All teachers and aides speak Spanish, allowing us to support children confidently in either language.
We also welcome children whose first language is neither English nor Spanish. We have supported students who speak Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, Polish, and more. With partnership from families, familiar phrases, body language, visual cues, and consistent routines, children transition smoothly and begin building language confidence in a supportive environment.
Learning Through Exploration
Learning here happens through exploration.
Children engage in art, science experiments, cooking, dramatic play, and discovery activities that strengthen creativity, problem-solving, and sustained attention.
Outdoor learning is part of daily life. In our garden spaces, children build coordination and resilience while planting, tending herb boxes, and caring for vegetable gardens together.
Students also care for classroom pets, including our fish and Frankie the turtle, learning responsibility, empathy, and consistency through simple daily routines.
Music & Early Brain Development
Early Music Awareness is not simply enrichment — it supports development across multiple domains.
Music & Early Brain Development
Early Music Awareness is not simply enrichment — it supports development across multiple domains.
Through these experiences, children develop not only academic readiness, but the independence, curiosity, and social confidence they need for their next season.
At First Discoveries, independence grows through connection, encouragement, exploration, and community. We thoughtfully draw from proven educational approaches while staying rooted in relationships, play, and hands-on learning. Through meaningful experiences and supportive guidance, children develop confidence, responsibility, and a genuine love of learning.
Children learn best when they feel safe, known, and valued. Strong relationships with teachers and classmates provide the security that allows children to take risks, try new things, and grow.
Learning includes mistakes, challenges, and new experiences. We guide children with patience and encouragement so they can keep trying, persevere, and discover what they are capable of.
Children care for their belongings, help prepare their environment, serve meals, and contribute to the classroom community. These daily routines strengthen responsibility, self-help skills, and independence.
Children learn alongside one another, build friendships, practice cooperation, and work through conflicts with support. Community life helps children learn empathy, respect, and consideration for others.
Art, science, cooking, gardening, dramatic play, and hands-on activities invite children to ask questions, make discoveries, and engage actively in learning.
Children are given age-appropriate choices throughout the day. Making decisions, solving problems, and learning from outcomes helps children become more capable and self-directed.
English and Spanish are woven naturally throughout the school day through conversation, stories, songs, and everyday interactions. Children strengthen language skills while learning to express their thoughts, needs, and ideas.
Literacy, mathematics, critical thinking, and school readiness are introduced through hands-on learning and individualized instruction. Children build the skills needed for a successful transition into TK and Kindergarten.
Visit during the school day and see firsthand how children learn, connect, and grow within the daily rhythm of First Discoveries.
Visit during the school day and see firsthand how children learn, connect, and grow within the daily rhythm of First Discoveries.
Serving Willow Glen since 2007
Licensed by the State of California
License #434408891
© 2007–2026 Terry Santizo and First Discoveries Christian Preschool. All rights reserved. No portion of this site may be reproduced or distributed without written permission.