New preschool opening at Minuteman

(Editor’s note: This article has been amended to reflect a correction regarding CCA’s initial location and the number of preschools in Lincoln.)

Minuteman High School will open the door in August to the Colonial Children’s Academy, staffed by certified preschool teachers and enriched by high school interns enrolled in Minuteman’s Early Education and Teaching program.

The Colonial Children’s Academy (CCA) curriculum will feature STEM activities, outdoor and indoor recreation, music, literacy, and cooperative play. Activities will be developed from the children’s interests and skill levels. CCA, which serves children between 2.9 and 5 years of age, will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and and will follow Minuteman High School’s school year calendar.

The CCA will be on the Lexington side of the Minuteman campus until the new school building is completed in the fall of 2019. Once it moves into the new building on the Lincoln side, it will bring the number of preschools in Lincoln to seven. The others are Lincoln Country Day School, Magic Garden Children’s Center, Lincoln Nursery School, the Teddy Bear Club, Drumlin Farm Community Preschool and Lincoln Preschool operated by the Lincoln Public Schools.

“At Colonial Children’s Academy, the learning will extend beyond the classroom walls,” said Michelle Roche, director of career and technical education at Minuteman. “Preschool students will get to explore all that Minuteman has to offer with the help from our expert teaching staff. Children can take field trip with the environmental department to explore pond life or visit the automotive department to see what an engine looks like. We’re excited to be able to offer project-based learning even for our youngest students.”

Minuteman’s high school setting will allow the preschoolers to explore many of the school’s career and technical education programs and use facilities such as a large indoor gym. Student-to-teacher ratios far exceed the state standards, allowing adults to provide additional guidance and support throughout the day, Roche said.

The program offers discounted prices for in-district families and staff members of the Lexington Public Schools and Minuteman High School. Enrollment space is limited. For more information on enrollment and tuition, please call Roche at 781-861-6500, ext. 7326 or Mroche@minuteman.org.