Fall 2026 Open House Presentation
Start Their Story with Little Panthers
Agenda
Our Educators
Our Educators
Each Little Panthers classroom will include:
Additional support personnel based on need:
Our Philosophy
Philosophy
The Little Panthers Early Childhood Program provides an inclusive, child-centered, experience for three- and four-year-olds that fosters both academic and social-emotional readiness for Sears Kindergarten and beyond.
Grounded in developmentally appropriate best practices, our program offers a rigorous yet balanced approach that nurtures curiosity, confidence, and connection through structured, purposeful experiences that leverage play and exploration.
Aligned with The Joseph Sears School high standards, we intentionally design learning environments where young children can thrive, build foundational skills, and grow into capable, compassionate learners prepared to engage in the world around them.
Learner Outcomes*
Learner Outcomes (Source)
Social Emotional Learning
Develop self-management skills to achieve school and life success and develop positive relationships with others.
Use social-awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships.
Demonstrate decision‐making skills and behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts.
How Social Emotional Learning Looks at School:
Language Arts
Demonstrate increasing competence in oral communication (listening and speaking).
Demonstrate understanding and enjoyment of literature.
Demonstrate interest in and understanding of informational text.
Demonstrate increasing awareness of and competence in emergent reading skills and abilities.
Demonstrate increasing awareness of and competence in emergent writing skills and abilities.
How Language Arts Looks at School:
Math
Demonstrate and apply a knowledge and sense of numbers, including numeration and operations.
Explore measurement of objects and quantities.
Identify and describe common attributes, patterns, and relationships in objects.
Explore concepts of geometry and spatial relations.
Begin to make predictions and collect data information.
How Math Looks at School:
Science
Demonstrate curiosity about the world and begin to use the practices of science and engineering to answer questions and solve problems.
Explore concepts and information about the physical, earth, and life sciences.
Understand important connections and understandings in science and engineering.
How Science Looks at School:
Social Studies
Understand some concepts related to citizenship.
Explore economic systems and human interdependence.
Develop an awareness of the self and his or her uniqueness and individuality.
Explore geography, the child’s environment, and where people live, work, and play.
Explore people and families
How Social Studies Looks at School:
The Arts
Gain exposure to and explore the arts.
Understand that the arts can be used to communicate ideas and emotions.
Understand the role of the arts in civilizations, past and present.
How The Arts Look at School:
Physical Health and Development
How Physical Health and Development Looks at School:
Logistics
School Year Calendar
Aligned with the Sears Calendar for all breaks and conferences, which is available on our website. The Little Panthers calendar for 2026-2027 has yet been approved.
Early Childhood program begins the school year with home visits for 3 year old families and in school visits for all 3 and 4 year olds prior to the first day of school. There is a meet and greet schedule to accommodate for these visits.
All students will begin with half days for approximately a week and the 4 year old students transition to the full day schedule in mid-September.
There are three days during the school year that early childhood students have a modified schedule from the rest of the school. Halloween, first Thursday in February, and a May conference day.
Program Hours
3 Year Old Half Day
8:15 Arrival
11:00 Dismissal
4 Year Old Full Day
8:15 Arrival
2:00 Dismissal
Sample Schedule
Arrival and PE
Morning Rug Time
Whole Group Phonemic Awareness
Exploratory Play-Based Centers (Literacy, Math, Thematic)
Math Groups
Read Aloud
Snack
Playground
Three Year Old Dismissal
Content Area Group Instruction
Specials
Lunch/Quiet Time
ELA Skill Based Centers
Hub Free Play
Play in Room and/or Playground
Dismissal
Parties and Special Events
Four Class Parties:
Halloween
Winter
Valentine’s Day
End of Year Picnic
In School Special Events:
Sibling Day
Animal Encounters
Music Concerts
8th Grade Play
Registration
Age Eligibility
Three Year Olds: Birthdate must be between September 1, 2023 and September 1, 2024 (3 years old at start of school).
Four Year Olds: Birthdate must be between September 1, 2022 and September 1, 2023 (4 years old at start of school).
In-District
3- and 4-year olds with IEPs requiring early childhood classroom programming.
First
Second
Third
Fourth
All priority belongs to Kenilworth School District 38 students.
3- and 4-year old out-of-District students will only be considered if in-District spots remain unfilled.
Placement Priority
REGISTRATION
Target Enrollment: 28 Students
In-District
4-year olds.
Little Panthers 3-year olds first.
Non-IEP in-District 3-year olds.
No more than 30% of the class or five
3-year olds per classroom.
Out-of-District
3 and 4-year olds.
Residency Confirmation
All families who live within District 38 are required to confirm residency before their child can attend the Little Panthers program. This is a standard process that helps us confirm that families live within district boundaries.
What you will need to provide:
When will you need to confirm residency?
Non-Refundable Tuition Required at Registration
Student Age | In-District Students | Out-of-District Students |
4-year-old (Full Day) | $16,700 | $18,400 |
3-year-old (Half Day AM) | $9,600 | $10,600 |
Oct. 1
Pre-Registration Opens
Nov. 1
Pre-Registration
Closes
Week of Nov. 1
Lottery
Placement and Waitlist Communication
Nov. 13
Official Registration & Non-Refundable Payment
If necessary, the waitlist is created following the Placement Priorities.
If a family declined their offer, the next family on the waitlist is contacted and offered a spot. That family will have 48 hours to accept or decline the offer. If the offer is declined, the process continues until all spots have been filled. Families do not need to contact the school to inquire about the waitlist to be offered a spot. The District will contact you if a spot is available.
Little Panthers Registration
Contact
Program
Registration
Mrs. Tracey McDowell
Classroom Teacher
tmcdowell@kenilworth38.org
Mr. Geoff Perlman
EC-4th Grade Assistant Principal
gperlman@kenilworth38.org
Mrs. Debbie Chen
Classroom Teacher
dchen@kenilworth38.org
Questions