Frequently Asked Questions

A: Discovery Trails Early Learning Academy is not a daycare, we are a private preschool. We offer education by qualified teachers in the areas of emergent literacy, early reading skills, cognitive thinking, problem-solving, science, math, and social skills. Included in each day is instruction in computer skills, physical education, foreign language, art, and drama. Discovery Trails is committed to the academic development of each child meeting his or her individual needs. Along with this idea, we provide children academic challenges with the real, hands-on, developmentally-appropriate curriculum.

Recognizing that young children learn best through play, we believe in play with a purpose. When your child comes home each day, we hope he or she says, “I played all day.” Our goal is to help children learn to love learning. Our certified and degreed staff create an environment that encourages academic challenges and meets the children at their level. We believe in stretching children without breaking them. This helps build confidence and the necessary skills to be successful in future learning endeavors.

John Dewey, an educational philosopher, theorized that children learn best through interpersonal contact with the subject matter. Our experience-based curriculum brings real-life situations to the curriculum. As we venture out on theme-based field trips, hike trails in Cheyenne Canyon or dissect buffalo hearts, our active learning atmosphere brings academics to life.

In a typical daycare setting, young children are placed in a class with 24 students and two teachers and children have an average of only one hour each day of direct instruction. Children spend the bulk of the day in learning centers and two hours in nap. At Discovery Trails, we maintain a low student/teacher ratio and we provide a good balance of teacher-directed and child-directed activities in which students enjoy almost four hours of instruction time lead by experienced teachers.

A: This is a very easy question to answer: Discovery Trails functions with a very small student/teacher ratio. This is done on purpose so that students have the opportunity to gain the much needed social skills that encourage academic success as well as individualized instruction from the teachers. Teachers plan lessons based on the needs of each child. As students are introduced to concepts, the exposure is common, but the support activity is not. For example, after listening to the story From Seed to Apple some students may use their journal to scribble pictures for emergent writing and name what they draw to the teacher for expression. Other students may be drawing pictures with representative detail and dictate entire stories complete with a beginning, middle, and end. Some students will draw apples and communicate the parts of the apple’s anatomy for the teacher to write and label. Still, other students with accelerated skills may try their hand at inventive spelling and emergent reading as they draw and label the lifecycle of the apple from seed to fruit.

A: Discovery Trails Early Learning Academy functions far below the maximum ratios set by the state. We will maintain a ratio of no more than nine students per teacher at all times.

A: At Discovery Trails we closely monitor the progression of each child. Through formal and informal assessments, we track each student’s academic and developmental growth. Four times a year, we provide each family with an assessment report that shows their child’s progress. After the first and third quarter, formal parent/teacher conferences are held. We are also willing to meet with you any time during the school year to discuss your child’s achievements.

You can view our sample assessment reports by clicking on the following links:
Preschool and PreKindergarten Assessment
Junior Kindergarten Assessment

A: School hours are from 8:30 AM (doors open at 8:15 AM for arrival) to 3:30 PM Monday through Friday.  Choose between five full-day (Mon-Fri), three full-day (Mon/Wed/Fri), or two full-day (Tue/Thu) sessions. 

A: We do not provide snacks or lunch at Discovery Trails. Children enjoy bringing their own lunch boxes and eat better when the food offered is familiar. This does not limit children from enjoying hot lunches, however. We are more than happy to heat leftovers and other cooked foods in our microwave at meal time.

A: We can occasionally provide Extended Care on a case-by-case basis, for an extra charge.  Before school or after school care can only be provided with advance arrangements to be sure a teacher is available. 

A: Discovery Trails’ tuition is less than the cost of many childcare centers and preschools in Colorado Springs. We offer rates for five full days, three full days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and two full days (Tuesday and Thursday). Please contact us for specific rates and information.