Our full-day Preschool Program allows your child to learn French, socialize with others and acquire the fundamentals of learning, reading, writing, and numeracy in French and in English.
About the French preschool program
Our Preschool Program welcomes students ages 3 & 4, and allows your child to:
- Learn French
- Socialize with others their age
- Become familiar with the fundamentals of reading, writing, and numeracy
Lycée international de Calgary utilizes a unique learning combination of song, games, physical education, painting, arts & crafts and dedicated classroom workshops to develop core learning fundamentals.
Preschool class sizes are limited to 16 students to ensure adequate one-on-one time between student and teacher.
Each class is taught by two adults, a certified teacher and an assistant. All teachers are accredited by the French Ministry of Education and have specialized in early childhood development.
The Preschool Program is mostly delivered in French as this is the best time to develop language and processing skills. Students also receive two hours of English instruction per week, distinguishing us from French immersion Preschool programs in Calgary.
About the Kindergarten Program
Our full-day Kindergarten Program is designed to prepare students for elementary school in French and in English. Through song, games, painting, sculpture, and classroom workshops, students develop and hone learning fundamentals. Children in our Kindergarten Program refine essential skill foundations such as the ability to listen, memorize and express themselves in a class setting.
Our Kindergarten Program allows your child to:
- Learn French
- Learn English
- Interact with others in a safe social setting
- Acquire the basics of reading, writing, and numeracy
Each Kindergarten class is taught by a certified teacher and an assistant. All teachers are fully certified by the French Ministry of Education or Alberta Education. They are specialized in early childhood development and education.
The program is taught in French 80% of the time. Students also receive five hours English Language Arts instruction per week, distinguishing it from French immersion Kindergarten programs in Calgary.
Practical information
The Preschool Program runs from September to June, Monday to Friday from 8:45 am to 3:45 pm, with a half day on Wednesday from 8:45 to 11:30 am (complimentary childcare service is offered from 11:30 am to 3:45 pm on Wednesdays – registration required).
The Kindergarten Program runs from September to June, Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 3:45 pm, with a half-day on Thursday from 8:30 to 11:00 (complimentary childcare is available from 11:00 am to 3:45 pm – registration required).
The Before and After School Program, Hot Lunch Program and day camps during school vacations are available to all students enrolled in the Preschool and Kindergarten Programs. More information about these programs can be found under Student Life.
Preschool booklets
Each student has their own “Progress Booklet” in which teachers will track skill development and highlight key abilities such as “I can say my name in front of a group” or “I recognize and say the first letter of my name”.
The Progress Booklet:
• Facilitates learning since children are aware of what is expected of them and are able to see their past milestones
• Allows teachers to personalize learning activities to best suit the needs of a child
• Positions parents to help their child develop key skills at home thanks to clear learning objectives. The emphasis of this Progress Booklet is on validating and documenting successes as well as tracking skill progression. Parents are able to review this booklet at any time to see active skill developments.
For detailed Program learnings, view our Preschool (3YO) Progress Booklet, our Preschool (4YO) Progress Booklet and our Kindergarten Progress Booklet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a typical day look like for preschool and Kindergarten students?
Mornings usually include:
• Free play
• Learning activities
• Physical exercise to develop gross motor skills
• Supervised outdoor play
• Storytime and conversation
• Snack time
• Art or singing
• Lunch
In the afternoon, students in preschool are free to nap as needed. They then participate in a designated learning activity and supervised outdoor play, followed by storytime or singing to relax prior to pick up.
For students in Kindergarten, they participate in a learning activity, supervised outdoor play, followed by storytime or singing to relax prior to pick-up.
What are the age requirements for the Preschool program?
The 3-year-old program is offered for children who will be 3 years of age by December 31 of the year of enrolment.
The 4-year-old program is offered to children who will be 4 years of age by December 31 of the year of enrolment.
We do not accept children in these programs below or above the specified ages.
How old does my child have to be in order to enrol in the Kindergarten Program?
The Kindergarten Program is offered for children who will be 5 years of age by December 31, of the year of enrolment.
Does my child need to be potty-trained?
We require that all students enrolled in the Preschool Program be fully potty-trained by their first day of school.
The school is not equipped to accommodate students who are not potty-trained.
Where do the teachers come from?
Lycée teachers come from all parts of the globe and reflect our school’s commitment to providing students and their families with a multicultural experience.
All Preschool Program teachers are native speakers and have received their teaching credentials from the French Ministry of Education or Alberta Education.
How many hours of English education do students receive in the Preschool and Kindergarten Program?
Our Preschool Program is mostly delivered in French since this is the best time to develop and hone language skills.
Students begin receiving education in English in the 3 & 4-Year-Old program (30 minutes per day).
Students in the Kindergarten Program have 5 hours of English Language Arts education per week with an Alberta Education certified teacher (the rest of the week is taught in French by a teacher certified by the French Ministry of Education). Students are encouraged to use French or English when communicating with their peers, depending on whether it is French class or English class.
Do students enrolled in the Preschool and Kindergarten Program go outside?
Yes. Students enrolled in the Preschool and Kindergarten Program have their own playground and go outside in the morning, after lunch and in the afternoon. Several adults supervise children during these important times of social play.
Does the school provide lunches and snacks?
All students must bring their own lunch unless they are enrolled in the Hot Lunch Program. Students enrolled in the Hot Lunch Program are required to bring a morning and afternoon snack. In the Preschool Program, a teacher or an assistant supervises lunch.
Do students enrolled in the Preschool and Kindergarten Program visit the school's library?
Yes, students enrolled in the Preschool and Kindergarten Program visit our library once a week where, after storytime, they can pick out age-appropriate books in French to take home.
The library contains over 14,000 publications specifically chosen for child development.
Does the Lycée offer preschool and kindergarten childcare during school vacation and the summer?
To support the needs of working parents, we offer day camps during every school vacation. We have specifically designed activities for our 3 and 4-year-olds aimed at continuing skill development even while on break, other camp activities vary depending on the age of your child.
Does the Lycée have a uniform for Kindergarten and Preschool students?
Yes, children are required to follow the school dress code outlined below:
• Plain navy pants, shorts, skort, or tunic
• Plain white, red or navy top
• Navy socks or tights.
• Items do not need to be purchased at any particular store.
Fridays are casual dress days for Kindergarten and Preschool Program students allowing students to wear anything appropriate for an educational center.
How do I learn more about the Kindergarten and Preschool Program?
We frequently offer open houses and are able to provide private tours of our facilities per request.
Additionally, you can learn more about our Kindergarten and Preschool Program by contacting our Admissions Team directly here.
