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Our School
PRESCHOOL
A child must have his/her birthday on or before August 15 to be eligible for class (i.e. a child must turn 2 years old by Aug. 15 to attend the 2 year old class, turn 3 by Aug. 15 to attend the 3 year old class, etc.). Our preschool hours are from classes 8:30 am – 12:30 pm. Early care begins at 7:30 am. Each classroom opens at 8:15 am for arrival. We provide a drop off car line for ages 3-5.
Our day begins with a welcome time for children to put away back packs, greet their friends and talk with their teachers. After a few minutes of free play, the day begins with the first group time. During this time, important jobs are assigned – door holder, caboose, lights, feeder of the class pet, etc. The class reviews the calendar, the weather, important school events that day, lunch menu, etc. A teacher reads a story which relates to the theme, the letter or the activity of the day. Music and movement is also done during group time. After group, the children disperse to various areas in the room. There are several centers set up in the room. Some are for 2-3 children an others are at the table to work with a teacher. Centers include housekeeping, books, blocks, sensory table, free art, easel art, and small manipulatives. Examples of table activities with teachers include letter recognition, phonemic awareness, handwriting, math concepts, science experiments, etc. Centers and table activities cover units and themes with learning games and art projects. Each child will have an opportunity to visit each center and play a game or do an art project all while learning.
Mid-morning the students will have a snack and 30-40 minutes of playground or gym time. When they return to their classrooms, there is a second group time to review the day and more literature is read and discussed. A hot lunch is served in the lunchroom at 11:30 am for 2 year olds and at noon for 3,4,5 yr. olds and Kindergarten. Students are dismissed from the lunchroom according to their afternoon program. Some children leave at 12:30, others go to a classroom for a 2:30 pickup and others nap. After a nap from 12:30-2:30 pm, the after care class resumes and the final departure time is 5:30 pm.
5-DAY Fives CLASS
The birthday deadline for Kindergarten is August 15th. An alternative class to Kindergarten is our 5 year old class that meets 5 days a week. Many parents with children who have late spring or summer birthdays may feel their child is not ready for Kindergarten. This decision is usually based more on maturity issues, since the child is young, rather than academic issues. Our 5 year old classroom has 2 teachers with 18 students. The class ends at 12:30 along with preschool (rather than 2:30 in Kindergarten). The first few months of the year are spent reviewing academics and working on personal responsibility and maturity issues ( ie. 2-3 step directives, listening skills in group time, focusing, etc.) We teach the Scott Foresman Reading curriculum supplemented by Fountis Pinnell Phonics series and Handwriting Without Tears. This class has several group times. They have several academic centers at tables with and without a teacher. The class does have some free play time and Art activities. They have a morning snack and play outdoors or in the gym for 30-40 minutes.
KINDERGARTEN
Our Kindergarten class has one teacher and 12 students. Our Kindergarten is accredited through the Tennessee Department of Education and meets and exceeds all standards. We teach from the Fountas & Pinnell Classroom series for reading, phonics, spelling and writing. For math, we teach from the Guiding Kinders. An entrance exam is required prior to registration.
The Kindergarten class has a morning group time with more advanced skills and time than the preschool classes. After the basic assignments are made (leader, helper, weather, etc.) the students engage in Language Arts and Math activities, movement, class book discussions, etc. Students then go to their tables to begin their morning work. The Kindergarten teacher calls children to reading groups where she can work with them individually or in small groups.
The class has a morning snack and 30-40 minutes of outdoor or gym play. The class eats lunch from 12:00-12:30. After lunch, they have another group time and a class activity (i.e. Science project, Weekly Reader, Art activity, etc.). The final 30 minutes of the day is free time for them while the teacher meets individually with each child to load backpacks and discuss the day.
The Kindergartners are our oldest students and our school leaders. They perform a Nativity Pageant each Christmas and have casted roles for the spring musical, which both require several hours of practice and memorization. They take several field trips throughout the year and have class speakers.
EARLY CARE
Early care is available to any child on any morning. We do appreciate a call the day before, but it is not necessary. The 2 year olds and 5 year olds are in a class by themselves. Three year olds and Four year olds meet together. The cost is $5.00/day from 7:30 am-8:15 am. From 8:00 am-8:15 am, the cost is $2.50. If you choose the 5 day all day option at registration, early and late care are included in your tuition price. Early Care classes are staffed by our preschool teachers.
AFTER CARE
After Care begins at 12:30 pm. We have classes that end at 2:30 pm and 5:30 pm. Space is limited, so you must sign up for this option at registration. We can keep a child on an occasional basis if space is available and the additional charge is $8.00 per hour. We typically do not know this until 9:30 am each morning after attendance has been turned in to the office.
After Care teachers are morning preschool teachers. We also have 4 UT students who assist a preschool teacher.
LUNCH
We serve a hot lunch each day. No lunch boxes or food from home is permitted. Our Cook/Kitchen Manager and her Assistant plan a 5 week rotating menu. After week 5, the menu begins over with week one. Parents are given a menu to follow along at home. Most days includes a well balanced offering of a meat, vegetable, fruit and dessert. Other days may include soup and sandwich or breakfast foods. Milk or water is served to drink. The plated food is waiting at the child’s table and dessert is served after a reasonable time. If a child would like a second helping, he//she simply raises his/ her hand as the cook or assistant pass by the table with food.
If a child has ANY food allergies, the parents must attend a meeting with the Cook and Director prior to the start of school. Several forms must be filled out and a safe and healthy menu is planned for the child. Substitutions are made wherever reasonably possible or the allergic food is left off the plate. These children have placemats with their picture and a list of all their food allergies on the placemat. Additionally, they must sit by a teacher at lunch each day.
A morning snack is served each day which usually consists of dry snacks – crackers, cereal, pretzels, etc. If there is a birthday in the classroom, there may be a donut or cupcake for snack! Occasionally, a class may make or bake the snack as a class project.
If a child stays past 2:30pm he/she will also be served an afternoon snack – dry snack or fruit, yogurt, etc.
PLAYGROUND
Our fenced playground area is large and recently updated. There is plenty of room for the children to run freely as well as play on age appropriate equipment. A border of trees provide adequate shade when needed. A large climbing structure with slides, a see-saw, swings, a tire swing and a monkey bar are some of the larger items on our playground. There is also a stage for impromtu performances or a butterfly bench for quiet reflection! The two year olds have their own recently updated playground which includes a fort, three slides, swings and a sandbox. Along the border of the playground lie planting beds for the students to plant flowers and vegetables. An intercom system is on the wall outside the door to call in to the school office whenever help is needed.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
We feel very blessed at our school, so we try to help other children in need. We feel it is important to start early teaching our children to help others and to give back to the community. Our school participates in a “Helping Hands” project each month. Each classroom is in charge of a month. A flyer goes home explaining the project and teachers discuss in depth with the children the project and those who are helped by our efforts. Oftentimes a book will also be read to further illustrate the project. Projects include but are not limited to: sending backpacks and school supplies to inner-city preschools, canned food drive to Second Harvest, a Mitten Tree sent to clients at Helen Ross McNabb, medical supplies and medicine for children in Haiti, Trike-a-thon for St. Jude Hospital and pet supplies and newspapers to animal shelters.
PARENT EVENTS
A Parent meeting is held each August to review school policies and to meet with classroom teachers. Other fall events include a school-wide parent coffee one morning and an open house. We have a parent dinner and silent auction and a parent workshop/seminar and a golf tournament. The school performs a Nativity Pageant and spring musical for our parents, church members and community.
A Parent Advisory Council is formed at the beginning of the school year where parents can volunteer to work on social and educational events for the school.
SUMMER CAMP – no longer available
