Central Presbyterian Church Preschool
Philosophy, Curriculum and Other Details

Purpose/Philosophy of School

Our vision is to provide the young children in our community with a loving, Christ-centered environment where they may grow, develop, learn and be equipped for future education. The teachers provide planned activities that seek to meet the emotional, physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs of each child within a caring, Christian environment.

Curriculum

Most experts will agree that children, especially young children, learn best in an environment which has a balance of structured and free choice activities. We embrace this concept and provide a wide range of hands-on activities that encourage children to experiment with science, math, language, reading, music, and art. Blocks, books, painting, toys, dress-ups, puzzles, manipulatives, games, and role-play are available to the children during class time.

During the course of each class, the children will have the opportunity to participate in free choice activities, small group encounters, and whole group teacher-directed experiences. Free choice activities encourage personal interests and self-expression. Small group encounters are designed to enhance social skills and to provide reinforcement and extensions to concepts. Whole group experiences are intended to develop listening skills and the ability to follow directions, as well as to allow practice in being part of a group.

The Pre-Kindergarten Classes are structured to prepare your child for kindergarten. Each thematic unit will include lessons and opportunities that will expose your child to the skills they will need for a successful learning experience. CPCP has chosen to use The Creative Curriculum. This program provides direct instruction and hands-on activities, each of which will focus on the whole child. The classes will provide many experiences that will allow the students to be successful and to practice the necessary pre-reading and pre-math skills needed for kindergarten, while interacting with others in a social setting. A "letter of the week" program has also been adopted to give exposure to the alphabet. Emphasis is placed on recognition and phonemic awareness. The four day Pre-K class will have an emphasis on working independently to enhance basic skills. This will allow the students to participate in activities which introduce them to a variety of developmentally appropriate skills.

Teaching Staff and Class Size

We are pleased to be accredited by the Maryland State Department of Education. All of our lead teachers are qualified college graduates. In order to provide quality attention to our students, all classes are staffed by a lead teacher and an assistant teacher. We maintain a maximum class size by age group:

• 2-years-old class: 10 students
• 3-years-old class: 12 students
• Pre-K class: 18 students
• Afternoon Programs: 18 students

Admissions

Central Presbyterian Church Preschool does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin regarding students. The school, however, is not equipped to provide programs for children with special needs. Admission priority is given to families of current students, children of Central Presbyterian Church members, and families of former students only until January 15th, 2007 when open enrollment begins.

For all entering students there will be a 4-week trial period. The teacher and the director along with the parent will decide if the child will be successful in completing the program. If a decision is made to withdrawl the child from the school, first quarter tuition will be assessed, but any prepaid tuition, including the tuition deposit, will be refunded.

Cancellations: Since our program is non-profit, we cannot refund fees for days absent due to illness or weather. Costs continue according to the enrollment we have.

Withdrawls: If you wish to withdrawl your child during the school year, we must receive written notification. You are responsible for the tuition for the quarter of your child's withdrawl regardless of your payment option, and all outstanding payments must be submitted to the school. After February 28, tuitions are not refundable because of the difficulty of filling a class opening for the last quarter.

Licensing Statement

Central Presbyterian Church Preschool is a state-licensed preschool program. Our inspection records are available upon request for public viewing.