Sunnybrook Day School

Sunnybrook Day School

Sunnybrook Day School was established in 1960 and has a rich history in the Virginia Beach community for providing excellent quality early childhood education.  The mission of Sunnybrook Day School is to provide quality programs to young children and their families with an emphasis on personal attention and tender loving care for each and every child.

Sunnybrook Day School is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  NAEYC administers the largest and most widely recognized accreditation system for all types of early childhood schools and child care centers.  NAEYC is the nation's largest organization of early childhood educators. 

Sunnybrook is located just two blocks off Virginia Beach Boulevard at the corner of Edinburgh Drive and Little Neck Road.  The school is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Our school has the following programs available:

A child's early years provide a foundation for growth and development of the rest of his or her life.  This early childhood is the most critical period in human growth and development, for it is the period when the foundation for learning is laid.  During these early years, learning experiences for the children must be diverse, creative and carefully planned, and based on sound principles of child development.

In keeping with this philosophy, Sunnybrook Day School's purpose is to provide a nurturing, dependable, challenging environment where children can:

learn through play

Sunnybrook is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  Early childhood programs accredited by NAEYC's National Academy of Early Childhood Programs have voluntarily undergone a comprehensive process of internal self-study, invited external professional review to verify compliance with the Criteria for High-Quality Early Childhood Programs, and been found to be in substantial compliance with the Criteria.  The Criteria can be found on NAEYC'c Web site at www.naeyc.org/accreditation.

What is a high-quality early childhood program?  It is one that provides a safe and nurturing environment while promoting the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of young children.

At Sunnybrook, you will see:

• frequent, positive interactions among teachers and children.
• planned learning activities appropriate to children's age and development, such as reading stories, block building, painting, dress-up, and active outdoor play.
• specially trained teachers and administrators.
• ongoing professional development.
• enough adults to respond to individual children.
• many varied age-appropriate materials.
• respect for cultural diversity.
• a healthy and safe environment for adults and children.
• inclusive environments.
• nutritional meals and/or snacks.
• regular, two-way communication with families who are welcome visitors at all times.
• effective administration.
• ongoing, systematic evaluation.

Our Nursery Program

  Our Nursery program provides a safe, nurturing environment that allows children to explore and discover through a variety of "hands-on" experiences.  It also gives them the opportunity to play in a group, learn how to take turns, cooperate and learn problem-solving skills.  A developmental checklist is issued once a year and reviewed at the parent/teacher conference.  This program is designed to meet the needs of our youngest students ages 2 1/2 and 3-year-old children.

Our Pre-Kindergarten Program

  Our Pre-Kindergarten program is a stepping stone to Kindergarten.  It provides a wide variety of opportunities to enrich a child socially, physically, emotionally, and intellectually.  Our "hands-on" curriculum is designed to meet each child's individual needs and to develop their pre-writing, pre-reading, and pre-math skills.

   In addition, the children are exposed to science, social studies, music, and a variety of field trips.  A developmental checklist is issued twice a year and reviewed at each of the parent/teacher conferences.  This program is designed for all 4-year-old children.

Our Kindergarten Program

Our Kindergarten program encompasses all areas of study outlined by the Virginia State SOL's (Standards of Learning): math, reading, science, and social studies.  Our program revolves around Beginning to Read, Write, and Listen and Everyday Mathematics.   These programs are designed to provide children with a foundation for learning that will prepare them for first grade.

  Although these are our primary curricula, they are not the only ones.  Science and social studies are presented through theme-based units integrated into the reading and math skills being studied.  Field trips, art projects, and music classes also enhance the learning process.  A parent/teacher conference is scheduled twice a year and report cards are issued three times a year.  This program is designed for all children who turn 5 years of age before October 1 of the current school year.