Little Gate
McGehee's Little Gate is filled with wonder and excitement. Little Gate is a place where friendships are made, where curiosities are safely explored and where a sense of community is established.
Little Gate is a coeducational early childhood program that provides a developmentally appropriate environment. This environment encourages a wholesome, positive self-image while stimulating intellectual curiosity. Daily activities help to create a sense of independence, responsibility and self-confidence in each child. Hands-on learning is emphasized in our child-centered program. We are continually developing and expanding perceptual abilities, readiness and communication skills, creative expression, as well as gross and fine motor coordination.
Enrollment
Enrollment is limited in order to maintain our student:teacher ratio of 8:1 or less.Parents are offered flexible schedules: half-days to full days, two, three, or five days a week from 8:00am to 3:00pm. Optional care is available before or after school. Healthy snacks and hot lunches are served daily.
Teachers
Our teachers are facilitators. They create environments where children build, collaborate, converse, experiment, and create. Our teachers are continually observing your child's play and based on those observations, they enhance the environment to continue the growth of all learners. Teachers are sensitive to the needs of young children and provide supportive supervision and interaction. Professional development plays an important role for our teachers. They regularly attend seminars and conferences concerning early childhood, and are well trained in child development. Their goal is to help develop the whole child - physically, emotionally and socially.
Parents
Our parents are our partners with the school in their child's total development. In order for each child to reach his or her potential, parents engage in ongoing communication with teachers. Our parents become involved in the school's activities as often as possible. McGehee's Little Gate parents are active supporters of the school.
Children
Children work with a variety of materials in environments both inside the classroom and outdoors to promote individual growth and intellectual curiosity. Little Gaters begin to develop independence, responsibility and self-confidence. A lot of time is spent playing, because play is an important part of the learning process.
Program
Our curriculum focuses on the needs of each individual child. Our primary goal is to welcome both parents and children into their first school experience and develop the whole child -- intellectually, socially and emotionally. For our parents we hope that through strong communication, you feel that you are an important part of our program. For our children, we hope to be wonderful beginning school experience that will lead to a lifelong love of learning.
Little Gate children are introduced to language, math, science, and social studies concepts through hands-on meaningful experiences. Concepts are taught through thematic units (such as insects, dinosaurs and fire safety). All the children's art projects, circle time activities and literature relate to the unit to foster language development and understanding of the concept being covered.
The Little Gaters participate in a Living Skills class called "FUN-da mentals" each week. The focus is on socialization skills:
empathy, taking turns, sharing,
good sportsmanship,
taking care of materials,
being a leader, and being a follower.
The goal is to teach the children the tools necessary to work and play with others.
Special guests and events enrich the program's thematic units:
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Physical Fitness Week - the children learn the value of staying healthy and fit. Little Gate Field Day completes this week with an obstacle course, spacewalk and activities that promote sportsmanship and exercise.
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Music Appreciation Week - What better way to enjoy music than with a Little Gate Jazz Fest in the backyard, complete with a jazz band, flagpoles and dancing?
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Book Appreciation Week - A week-long study of the importance of books and reading ends with an exciting trip to the beautiful McGehee Library.
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Garden Week - During this study of plants and how they grow, the Little Gaters tend their own vegetable garden.
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Bike Safety Week - The children learn the fundamentals of bike safety and raise money for the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital with a "Trike-a-thon."
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Dinosaur Week - Little Gaters are transported back in time to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. They even get to "excavate" fossils in a sand dig.
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Insect Unit - Different kinds of insects are studied and the highlight of the week is witnessing caterpillars become butterflies in our own butterfly tent.
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Eggs-to-Chicks Unit - The children get to watch the amazing process as eggs in their classroom are incubated and hatched.
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Western Week - A week of learning about cowboys is followed by a dress-up day with poney rides and a cookout.
Philosophy
In McGehee's Little Gate program, hands-on learning is emphasized in our child-centered approach. Developing and expanding perceptual abilities, readinesss skills, communications skills, and creative expressions, as well as gross and fine motor coordination are some of the areas in which your child will grow.
Our primary goal is to develop the whole child, intellectually and emotionally.
Little Gate students learn though their play, their senses, and their shared experiences. For this age group, a coeducational school is important; girls learn from interacting with boys and vice versa.
Location
McGehee's Little Gate is part of our Garden District campus, located at 1538 Philip Street. Our location (near the CBD, the Crescent City Connection bridges and I-10) gives us the opportunity to serve the Greater New Orleans area.
Admission
For more information, please contact our Little Gate Director at (504)523-9911. Parents and applicants for McGehee's Little Gate will need to tour, interview and pay a non-refundable application fee of $30. No testing for admission is required.
Parents who wish their daughter(s) to continue at the Louise S. McGehee School for Pre-Kindergarten - 12th grade education must formally apply and follow admissions procedures by contacting the Director of Pre-K and Kindergarten Admissions at (504) 561-1224.
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