2025-2026 School Year

K5 SPT

Elementary classes meet for 12 weeks in the Fall and 12 weeks in the Spring for a total of 24 weeks. Each class day starts at 9:10am and finishes at 2:30pm.

In K5 classes, the children are with the same teacher the entire day and stay together as a group, with the exception of a Related Arts class where they go to the respective teacher for that time. The students enjoy recess twice a day at either the playground or the gym. Parents must pack snack and lunch for their student. Children in K5 will not be assigned homework, except for an occasional oral presentation requirement. Formal grades are not given in K5 but teachers do send home progress reports twice a year. On the last day of co-op, we have a K5 Graduation ceremony that all K5 graduates and their family and friends are invited to attend.

Course Description

The K5 class curriculum is designed revolving around weekly themes.  Through these weekly themes, literacy, math, social studies, and science skills and concepts are taught.  The lessons incorporate large group activities along with small group learning centers.  Children gain social skills, practice problem-solving, and learn about themselves, their environment, and others through active play.  They are encouraged to love learning, develop early literacy skills, and interact with others in a classroom setting.

Literacy concepts are tied together with our weekly themes.  With quality literature, children are modeled on proper book handling, directionality, along with good reader strategies like previewing, predicting, and retelling.  Foundational reading skills are introduced such as letter-sound connections, letters vs. words, words vs. sentences, and sight words.

Math concepts are introduced throughout the day.  Morning calendar time allows introduction to counting, patterning, and days and months.  Learning centers offer individual and small group work focusing on specific concepts such as one-to-one correspondence, graphing, patterning, sorting, and measuring.

Science and Social Studies concepts are covered throughout the week, based on the weekly theme.  For example, when studying apples and pumpkins, children learn of the growth cycle of a seed, and are given hands-on experiences with actual apples and pumpkins. During Community Helpers, the class grows in understanding of the many different jobs that help us live in our home community.

On the three days per week children are at home, parents should focus on Math and English Language Arts content areas using the selected curriculum you have chosen to work with your K5 student.

Students will attend Music and Art class once weekly as part of their class day.

  • Music Class: Students will attend music class once a week. The students will enjoy experiencing music in a variety of ways. We explore music through a repertoire rich in folk songs, nursery rhymes, and traditional singing games. We learn about music through imitation, movement, listening, visualization, improvisation, finger play, and rhythm instruments. Seasonal music activities are incorporated throughout the year.
  • Art Class: Students will attend art class once a week.  K3-2nd grade students’ study of art will encourage them to better see and appreciate God’s own artistic brilliance in His lavish creation.  Quality children’s literature will be used to teach various art elements such as shape, line, texture, color, value, form and space.  Students will put their learning in action by completing an art project each class day using a variety of media and hands-on learning.

To be successful in this class:

Practice classroom etiquette including listening, raising hands, lining up, being kind to others, obeying the teacher, using inside voices, and keeping hands to oneself.

Grades: K5

Fees: Two Day Model Tuition: $950 for the year : Plus other applicable fees as listed on the Tuition & Fees webpage such as: enrollment fee, security fee, portrait/ID fee, etc…

Prerequisites:

Must be 5 years old by September 1st

Sections Offered: K5 Blue Jays: Tuesdays & Thursdays K5 Red Cardinals: Tuesdays & Thursdays K3-2nd Music K3-2nd Grade Art

Required Materials

Textbook:

None required.

Other Materials:

Each class has a supply list of required materials parents must purchase and send to class with their student. Find Supply Lists here.

K5 Blue Jays: Tuesdays & Thursdays

Meet Katie Lancaster

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina Upstate

Teaching Experience: Began teaching K4 from 2018 to 2020 and worked as a certified substitute teacher for Spartanburg District 2 from 2022 to 2024.

Homeschooling Experience: Started homeschooling my daughter in 2024.

UHC Courses Taught: K5

Began teaching at UHC in 2025.

K5 Red Cardinals: Tuesdays & Thursdays

Meet Hannah Napoli

Education: Associates in Elementary Education from Spartanburg Community College. Currently completing her Bachelor’s in Special Education from the University of South Carolina Aiken.

Teaching Experience: Began teaching at Fairforest Middle School as a Teacher’s assistant in an ID Moderate Self Contained classroom for 2 years. Has been a long- term substitute teacher at UHC starting in Spring 2025.

Homeschooling Experience: Started homeschooling my children in 2024.

UHC Courses Taught: K5

Began teaching at UHC in 2025.

K3-2nd Music

Meet Kerri Redding

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and Master’s Degree of Music Education from Columbus State University.

Teaching Experience: Has been a Music Teacher in public schools from 1998- 2004. She has also taught Music privately from 1998- 2012. Currently she teaches at USC Union as an adjunct Music Instructor.

Homeschool Experience: Kerri has been homeschooling since 2008

UHC Courses Taught: K3- 2nd Grade Music

Began teaching at UHC in 2025.

K3-2nd Grade Art

Meet Olga Romero

Education: 3 year Cosmetology degree from Germany

Teaching Experience: I have been homeschooling my own children since 2020. I also work in the 2-3 year old toddler classroom on the Hampton Heights Campus.

Art Experience: I enjoy quilting and sewing, which I learned from my mother, but I love to put my own unique spin on every project. My work reflects my Ukrainian background and the resulting work is often playful, bold, and colorful.  2024 is my first year teaching and I love to bring a sense of fun, playfulness, and  love of color to my classroom as well as the idea that there are no mistakes in art, only chances for a new perspective and a way to get creative!

UHC Courses Taught: 2-3 year old toddlers, K3-2nd art

Began teaching at UHC in 2024.