Puentes Spanish Preschool is ...

a Spanish immersion preschool that serves those in the Treasure Valley who wish their children to get the best of preschool learning plus a huge head start learning Spanish. It is entirely feasible for a child to become fluent in Spanish through participation in our preschool. Becoming bilingual will have numerous lifetime benefits for your child including better performance in school and on standardized tests, improved logical thinking ability, better cultural awareness, more job opportunities, higher pay, and many more. Starting in preschool or earlier provides the easiest and fastest environment for children to learn a second language!

Our curriculum is based on the High/Scope educational approach and the Natural Approach theory for language acquisition.

Children will be immersed in Spanish while...

Learning

through direct, hands-on experiences with people, objects, events and ideas through a variety of diverse materials and interactions.

Making

choices about and planning their daily activities, carrying them out, and sharing their experiences with other children and teachers.

Gaining

knowledge and skills in language, literacy, and communication, social and emotional development, mathematics, science, nature, and technology, dramatic art, visual art, music and movement.

Becoming

more independent and primary school ready.

Doing

organic gardening and nature activities.

Having

a life-changing fun time that they will thank you for when they are adults!

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Questions for Puentes Preschool

1. What is the daily routine like at the Puentes Preschool?
Free choice during drop off and pick up periods
Welcome Song and Greetings (15 min)
Planning time (10-15 minutes)
Work time (45- 60 minutes)
Recall time (10-15 minutes)
Small-group time (15- 20 minutes)
Large-group time (15-20 minutes)
Outside time (30-40 minutes)
Eating and rest times (variable)
Learning a second language is very much the same process as learning one's first language. Remember how babies learn their first language. There is a long period of listening without any ability to speak. Comprehension develops during this "silent period" through exposure to the language. Often children understand a great deal by the time they are only 1 year old, though they may have few or no words to express themselves.

Similarly, learning a second language is initially a process of listening comprehension. While students may be able to "parrot" back words that the hear, they typically have not learned them well enough to use them after only a few repetitions. Some studies show that a new word must be heard and understood more than 50 times before it is acquired by the learner in a way that they can use it effectively.

Therefore, it is expected that students will have a silent period while learning a second language, and this does not reflect if or how much they have learned.

After a silent period, new learners will typically start using single words or short phrases in context (in times and places that trigger the newly acquired language). In other words, they may be able to respond correctly while in a language class, but not be able to describe or repeat what they learned once outside of that class until they have more fully established the language.

Expect that a "silent period" is a natural part of the process and that once students ARE speaking, it will be single words or short phrases for a long time thereafter. After a year or two (depending heavily on how much language exposure the student gets), the student will start to synthesize their own questions and answers in the language. Every student progresses at his or her own rate. Keep in mind that mosts students of a second language get between 1- 5 hours per week compared to a baby learning their first language being exposed every waking hour of every day and it still takes 1-2 years to start producing language. More exposure = faster learning.
Parents should encourage their students to continue in the language and know that it IS work and IS a long-term process. Remember, it has lifetime benefits, and learning during childhood is the easiest time. Note their progress as time goes on and celebrate it.

Play games, find sites on the internet that encourage language use, sing songs, play favorite DVD's in the new language with English subtitles, read children's books in the new language, travel.

More Information

Overland School Hours

  • Preschool AM Session: Mon-Fri 8:30am to 12:30pm
  • Preschool PM Session: Mon-Fri 1pm to 5pm
  • Full-Day - Preschool & Daycare: Mon-Fri 7:30am to 5:30pm

Pricing

What our Parents are saying

  • Can’t tell you how much we miss Puentes and what a great start it has given to Christian – He’s now in first grade. He was there for all his toddler, preschool and kindergarten years - he was happy, well adjusted, loved his teachers and learned so much. He is way ahead of his peers in reading and math and he can problem solve, has a curious mind and is very articulate. I think Puentes can take credit for a great deal of that.

    Teresa Ruth

  • Puentes is the best daycare/preschool that I could've ever chosen for our daughter. Not only do they teach our daughter in Spanish but their staff is the best! At times even combing my daughters hair when my husband would drop her off in a hurry in the morning & had no time to do her hair. When she felt sick they would welcome her with open arms upon arrival and cuddle her to make her feel better. She always had nothing but good things to say about them to me daily, which made me go to work happy, without any worries knowing that our daughter was in good hands. I would definitely recommend Puentes to any parents out their who want a safe & caring learning environment for their child.

  • GREAT PRESCHOOL – My son started going to Puentes 4 months ago at age 3. I already see a difference in him. Everyday he has a new word in Spanish to tell me, has made new friends, and has even done better with potty training. Until he statred going to Puentes only family had watched him, so I didn't know how he would do and now everyday when he wakes up he is always asking if he can go to school and when I pick him up he says he had a lot of fun. I wish I had gone to a school like this when I was younger, being bilingual will benefit him a lot as he gets older!

  • Puentes is FABULOUS! The only thing I can say is I wish we would have started my son in the program at a younger age! He started at the age of 5 in the kindergarten program. We are going to start our youngest child much sooner! Fabulous program and would recommend it to anyone who believes in the benefits of dual language programs!

  • Puentes is a great learning environment My daughter just loved Puentes Preschool. The teachers were well qualified and made learning an enjoyable experience. This is a Spanish immersion preschool, and after just the first couple weeks my daughter was properly utilizing the spanish she had learned in school. A great way to give your child a head start in their education.

  • My child has been with Puentes for 2 years. He is in kindergarten now and can read in Spanish with more fluency than English. The staff and program are wonderful, and the opportunity is priceless!

  • I love this place!!!!

    My son started at age 4; we don't speak Spanish in the home but heard good things about this place and thought it might be a good skill for him.

    Trust and her staff are great. Some of them

    Have degrees in early childhood bi-lingual education. The speak predominantly Spanish but as a fledgling, my son always knew if there was a crisis there was some English speakers there.

    I enjoy their organic flow - kids come home dirty from the playground - and they are part of the healthy food program, make meals there and not a lot of processed junk.

    When it was time for kinder, I wanted to open enroll my kiddo at Whitney it there was no room - so I key him in their kinder program and he tested into dual language first grade without a problem.

    Teachers are kind and responsive. Highly recommend !

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