Savvas Learning Company Launches New Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum with Innovative Digital Tools

PARAMUS, N.J. — September 9, 2020 — Savvas Learning Company, a next-generation learning solutions provider for K-12 education, announced today the national launch of Three Cheers for Pre-K, a ready-to-go pre-kindergarten curriculum that provides a balance of academics and purposeful play to successfully pave the way for kindergarten readiness.

Three Cheers for Pre-K, which has been recommended for adoption in Texas, has been thoughtfully designed to support social-emotional and culturally responsive learning through instruction tied to nine developmentally appropriate themes. The program fosters the development of key skills and concepts in the core disciplines of literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies, as well as in other subjects, such as health, technology and the arts — all of which are integrated into weekly instruction.

Through a partnership with Unite for Literacy, whose mission is to expand early learners’ access to quality literature, Three Cheers for Pre-K offers children access to a digital bookshelf of titles that build literacy skills while celebrating languages and cultures. Unite for Literacy curates its content to represent all genders, races, national origins, disabilities, and ages, in both text and images.

“Instilling a love for reading in young children is critical in early education. By helping little learners grow into strong readers, we are putting them on the path for academic success. And it starts at an early age with books that activate their imaginations and teach them the building blocks of reading,” said Bethlam Forsa, CEO of Savvas Learning Company. “With Three Cheers for Pre-K, we set out to create a program that not only provides educators a rich library of authentic, relatable children’s literature to draw on but also instructional flexibility using fun activities rooted in learning goals. The result is inspiring young children to learn and play.”

In addition to helping four-year-olds become proficient with key concepts and skills, the program offers differentiated instruction to support the growth of struggling students, English language learners, advanced learners, and even three-year-olds. The curriculum can also be modified for half-day and full-day pre-kindergarten programs.

“Three Cheers for Pre-K is a program that represents, reflects, and celebrates diversity,” said Leigh Ann Garcia, vice president of PreK-12 literacy for Savvas Learning Company. “In order to connect with students, children need to see themselves, their communities, and their cultures represented in their learning. I am thrilled that our first state submission is in the diverse state of Texas, and that Three Cheers for Pre-K has been recommended for adoption in Texas, meeting 100 percent of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines.”

Fully integrated with Savvas Realize™, one of the edtech industry’s most versatile learning management systems, Three Cheers for Pre-K supports and enhances early learning through interactive games, online narrated books, and fun digital activities rooted in learning goals. An online Family Engagement portal gives parents and families the tools they need to support their little learners at home.

The program includes diagnostic tools and assessments to help teachers determine children's proficiency in emergent literacy and math skills and monitor progress toward mastery of the Pre-K learning outcomes.

Savvas has also created an adapted and translated version of Three Cheers for Pre-K, called “Uno, dos, tres !Prekínder!,” that enhances children’s development of Spanish literacy skills and lessons with parallel instruction in English and Spanish.

Integral to both the English and Spanish programs is the teaching of social-emotional learning, an important aspect of early childhood education that helps preschoolers acquire and practice the self-regulation, interpersonal, and social-awareness skills they need to grow.

“We want children not just to learn but to thrive. That’s why we have made social-emotional learning such a key component of Three Cheers for Pre-K,” explained Garcia. “By teaching children how to understand and manage their emotions, feel and show empathy for others, and establish healthy relationships, we are laying the foundation to help them adapt to and handle whatever challenges come at them.”