Our
registration opens up to current families on January 6, 2010; to church
members on January 13, 2010; and to the general public on January 20,
2010. We require a $100.00 registration fee at the time of
registration. The application is processed and then parents
are notified within one week if a position is available. A
$300.00 deposit is
required before we guarantee a position for your child in Christ Church
Episcopal Preschool. This deposit is applied towards the tuition
payment.
Does my child have to be Christian to attend your preschool?
No. We accept children of all faiths.
Do you accept children with special needs?
Yes. We welcome all children if we are able to serve their needs. We will evaluate your child and determine: 1. If we can meet their needs and 2. If we believe they will be successful in our preschool program. If both criteria are successfully met, we will enroll these children.
Does my child really need to be potty trained?
Yes.
It is very important that your child be trained and independent in the
bathroom before attending preschool. We are licensed to accept
only children that have been potty trained. We know children
have accidents and we are prepared for this to
happen. However,
if your child has been accepted and is consistently having accidents,
we will assume that he/she is not fully potty trained. At
this time, we will remove the child from our program, and will hold
their spot until they are fully potty trained.
What about your teachers...how qualified are they?
We
have two teachers in every classroom. Our
teachers are very qualified. We search for teachers with
teaching experience and or college degrees. Currently our three
year old teaching staff consists of two teachers; one with her
Masters in Special
Education and 13 years teaching experience with teaching three year
olds; one with her BA in Elementary Education including experience
working with gifted and learning disabled students
and 3 years teaching experience with three year olds. Our
Young 4's lead teacher has taught preschool for 6
years; our Prek 4 Day lead teacher was licensed in Kansas and has
taught preschool for 16 years and our PreK lead teacher was licensed in
the Commonwealth of
Virginia Pre-K as a former kindergarten teacher and is in her 3nd year
teaching our 5 Day PreK class
What is your discipline policy?
Our
goal is to guide the children towards self-control. Our teachers
are familiar with ages and expected developmental behaviors for
each child. When necessary, we will redirect a child or offer
realistic choices so that the child feels in control and responds
favorably. Our staff models behavior and uses positive
reinforcement. If necessary, we will remove a child from a
problem situation and allow for a cooling off period. We will
immediately remove a child from a situation if they are at risk for
harming themselves or another child.
Are you a licensed preschool?
Currently,
we are a church exempt preschool. We must adhere to guidelines
set by Social Services. As we grow, our goal is to become a nationally
accredited preschool.
Can you provide details about your program?
Our theme based program introduces developmentally appropriate preschool skills such as letters, letter sounds, and number recognition using a multi-sensory/"hands-on" approach. The curriculum includes free and directed exploration to encourage and develop a love of learning. Our curriculum will offer a balance of free centers, creative art, dramataic play, physical movement and recreation, story times, and music within both small group and whole class experiences. We aim to develop the young child intellectually, physically, emotionally, and socially while integrating Christian values into the curriculum. Following is a brief summary of the programs used.
LETTERS ALIVE: CCEP has developed "Letters Alive" for our three year olds. A new letter is introduced on a weekly basis and is enriched with an inflatible to coincide with the letter and theme. For example, the letter of the week may be "D" and the theme is dinosaurs. Our letters come "alive" with a hands-on inflatible and a song that teaches the children about the letter and sound. We strongly believe children learn best when they are actively engaged using song and play to instill a love of learning. It should be exciting and most of all just plain fun!
HANDWRITING WITHOUT TEARS: In addition to our "Letters Alive" program, we follow "Handwriting Without Tears" curriculum. Our teachers are trained to introduce the capital letters using developmentally based techniques. This multi-sensory program was developed by an occupational therapist whose son had difficulty printing in first grade. Children are introduced to the letters by using four wooden components; a big line, a little line, a big curve, and a little curve. The teacher demonstrates building the letter on a blue mat beginning at the smiley face or "starting corner". The children imitate the teacher learning top to bottom and left to right for pre-reading and writing skills. The capital letters are taught in a reversal-free manner using a hands-on technique. Children are building a new letter on a weekly basis and reviewing letters currently introduced. As children progress through our program, they will learn the "Wet, Dry, Try" technique used with chalk and slates. To prevent poor writing habits from developing, our children must display strong fine motor before practicing with a pencil and paper. You can learn more about this curriculum by going to www.hwtears.com.
PHONEMIC AWARENESS: Before children begin to read, they must understand how letters and words are used in language. We expose children to rhyming words; words that include the same sound; syllables within a word by clapping the syllables; beginning, middle, and ending sounds by using songs and stories that actively engage our students.
MATH THEIR WAY: Math Their Way has been modified and implemented in our four year old/PreK classrooms. The goal is to develop an understanding of and gain insight into mathematical patterns through the use of concrete materials. Children use concrete materials and are actively engaged in the learning process by creating patterns using claps, dots, cubes, people, and pattern blocks. Our preschoolers make comparisons by sorting colors, shapes, sizess, and texture. Counting and graphing are taught on a daily basis during center and teacher directed activities. Divergent questions or open ended questions are asked allowing many possiblities for responses from the children instead of one right answer. As the children progress through our program, they begin to explore numbers at the concept level; learning possible ways to arrange a given number. For example, the children may be learning about the number 7. The teacher may provide 7 unifix cubes with two different colors and the children will demonstrate how they can build the number seven such as: 2 yellows and 5 blues; 6 yellows and 1 blue; 4 yellows and 3 blues. Children are encouraged to let the discoveries flow!
CHAPEL: Chapel is attended weekly by our students in the church sanctuary. Each class is designed to introduce spiritual awareness at the preschool level. Hillary West, Associate Pastor of Christ Church integrates the letter and theme of week with a developmentally appropriate Bible based lessons. The children learn about God's unconditional love through songs and prayers. "Let your light shine" - Matthew 5:16.
MUSIC: Organized music class is attended weekly for 20 minutes. Preschoolers develop an appreciation of music through singing, creative movement, and rhythm instruments. Musical performances are held at Christmas and in the spring.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Field trips; on and off campus are included in our program. Previous programs have been; Ocean Encounters, Hanover Vegetable Farms, Wildlife International, Kamp Kreatures, Teddy Bear Clinic at St. Mary's Hospital, Henrico County Police ("Stranger Danger" for 4's/Bike Safety- all students), Henrico County Fire Department, Dental Hygenist, Bus Safety Awareness for rising kindergarteners, and Henrico County Bookmobile for our PreK children.
OPTIONAL PROGRAMS OFFERED:
Lunch Bunch is offered to children that have turned 4 or are enrolled in a 4 year old class. Lunch Bunch is every Thursday from 12:00-1:30. Children bring their lunch.
Speech and Hearing Screening: Children are screened by The Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center, a non-profit organization in the fall of each school year.
Our theme based program introduces developmentally appropriate preschool skills such as letters, letter sounds, and number recognition using a multi-sensory/"hands-on" approach. The curriculum includes free and directed exploration to encourage and develop a love of learning. Our curriculum will offer a balance of free centers, creative art, dramataic play, physical movement and recreation, story times, and music within both small group and whole class experiences. We aim to develop the young child intellectually, physically, emotionally, and socially while integrating Christian values into the curriculum. Following is a brief summary of the programs used.
LETTERS ALIVE: CCEP has developed "Letters Alive" for our three year olds. A new letter is introduced on a weekly basis and is enriched with an inflatible to coincide with the letter and theme. For example, the letter of the week may be "D" and the theme is dinosaurs. Our letters come "alive" with a hands-on inflatible and a song that teaches the children about the letter and sound. We strongly believe children learn best when they are actively engaged using song and play to instill a love of learning. It should be exciting and most of all just plain fun!
HANDWRITING WITHOUT TEARS: In addition to our "Letters Alive" program, we follow "Handwriting Without Tears" curriculum. Our teachers are trained to introduce the capital letters using developmentally based techniques. This multi-sensory program was developed by an occupational therapist whose son had difficulty printing in first grade. Children are introduced to the letters by using four wooden components; a big line, a little line, a big curve, and a little curve. The teacher demonstrates building the letter on a blue mat beginning at the smiley face or "starting corner". The children imitate the teacher learning top to bottom and left to right for pre-reading and writing skills. The capital letters are taught in a reversal-free manner using a hands-on technique. Children are building a new letter on a weekly basis and reviewing letters currently introduced. As children progress through our program, they will learn the "Wet, Dry, Try" technique used with chalk and slates. To prevent poor writing habits from developing, our children must display strong fine motor before practicing with a pencil and paper. You can learn more about this curriculum by going to www.hwtears.com.
PHONEMIC AWARENESS: Before children begin to read, they must understand how letters and words are used in language. We expose children to rhyming words; words that include the same sound; syllables within a word by clapping the syllables; beginning, middle, and ending sounds by using songs and stories that actively engage our students.
MATH THEIR WAY: Math Their Way has been modified and implemented in our four year old/PreK classrooms. The goal is to develop an understanding of and gain insight into mathematical patterns through the use of concrete materials. Children use concrete materials and are actively engaged in the learning process by creating patterns using claps, dots, cubes, people, and pattern blocks. Our preschoolers make comparisons by sorting colors, shapes, sizess, and texture. Counting and graphing are taught on a daily basis during center and teacher directed activities. Divergent questions or open ended questions are asked allowing many possiblities for responses from the children instead of one right answer. As the children progress through our program, they begin to explore numbers at the concept level; learning possible ways to arrange a given number. For example, the children may be learning about the number 7. The teacher may provide 7 unifix cubes with two different colors and the children will demonstrate how they can build the number seven such as: 2 yellows and 5 blues; 6 yellows and 1 blue; 4 yellows and 3 blues. Children are encouraged to let the discoveries flow!
CHAPEL: Chapel is attended weekly by our students in the church sanctuary. Each class is designed to introduce spiritual awareness at the preschool level. Hillary West, Associate Pastor of Christ Church integrates the letter and theme of week with a developmentally appropriate Bible based lessons. The children learn about God's unconditional love through songs and prayers. "Let your light shine" - Matthew 5:16.
MUSIC: Organized music class is attended weekly for 20 minutes. Preschoolers develop an appreciation of music through singing, creative movement, and rhythm instruments. Musical performances are held at Christmas and in the spring.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Field trips; on and off campus are included in our program. Previous programs have been; Ocean Encounters, Hanover Vegetable Farms, Wildlife International, Kamp Kreatures, Teddy Bear Clinic at St. Mary's Hospital, Henrico County Police ("Stranger Danger" for 4's/Bike Safety- all students), Henrico County Fire Department, Dental Hygenist, Bus Safety Awareness for rising kindergarteners, and Henrico County Bookmobile for our PreK children.
OPTIONAL PROGRAMS OFFERED:
Lunch Bunch is offered to children that have turned 4 or are enrolled in a 4 year old class. Lunch Bunch is every Thursday from 12:00-1:30. Children bring their lunch.
Speech and Hearing Screening: Children are screened by The Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center, a non-profit organization in the fall of each school year.