ABOUT USVillage Church on Mission Weekday Preschool is a NAEYC accredited and KQRIS Five-Star rated preschool that offers a developmental program of quality education for children ages 3-5. The program uses the HighScope curriculum and is taught by Early Childhood Education/Elementary Education degreed professionals in every classroom.
Three Year Old classes meet on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9-11:30 a.m., with optional extended days until 3 p.m. Four Year Old classes meet on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 9-11:30 a.m., with optional extended days on Wednesday and Friday until 3 p.m. The Five Year Old class meets on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons from 12:30-3 p.m., with optional extended days on Tuesday and Thursday mornings beginning at 9 a.m. PRESCHOOL ENROLLMENT SCHEDULEVillage Preschool on Mission has openings in our 4-year-old (MWF) program and our 5-year-old (TWThF) program for the 2018-2019 School Year. Please contact Sarah McKee, preschool director, for more information. 913-671-2338 or sarah.mckee@villagepres.org
Enrollment for the 2019-2020 School Year will begin Jan. 14, 2019. More details to come. ENROLLMENT FORMSCALENDARSVillage Church on Mission Preschool is on summer break until Aug. 30, 2018.
ADDITIONAL OFFERINGSCreations by Kids
The art class “Creations by Kids” will visit each preschool class regularly. The method will be process art, which encompasses all of one’s senses. Process art, not product art, means that the child is free to experiment with different art materials and enjoy what happens. There are no concerns about right or wrong or copying an example. Each child is the artist, whatever they create is right and most times more exciting than what we as adults imagine. The CBK curriculum is original to Village Preschool and is administered by Debbie Smith.
When looking at art, children tend to focus on the subject of the art rather than the aesthetics. Creations by Kids helps to develop children's language skills by talking about shape, size, color and texture. Creations by Kids extends these art concepts by asking open-ended questions and engaging in meaningful conversation about specific artists and their creative styles. Creations by Kids classes help develop fine motor, cognitive, language and social skills. Music Is Fun
In addition to the music the children experience daily in the classroom, Kate Beebe our music teacher, visits each class once a month. She follows the key experiences in the High Scope music guidelines, including:
- moving to music - exploring and identifying sounds - exploring the singing voice - exploring musical instruments - singing songs Movement Is Fun
The Movement Is Fun (MIF) program was developed for use in preschools to enhance normal growth and development. Using concepts of movement exploration embedded in a framework of sensory integration development, children learn how to move their bodies through space. They also learn about how muscles work and how to visualize body movement and then plan and execute the ideas (creative movement). Because of the emphasis on a sensory integration framework, the activities concentrate on enhancing the basic sensory systems - activities which are at a much lower level than most movement exploration programs.
A curriculum has been developed for use in preschools that provides each child with the MIF program once a week for the school year. The Village Preschool has two occupational therapists, Joy Anderson and Martha Sparks, who work with our children. A minimum of equipment is utilized, so that the children will concentrate on their body movements rather than on a piece of machinery. Snacks with Stacey "SWS"
Stacey El Attar, a Master Food Volunteer through the K-State Research and Extension, has developed a wonderful preschool nutrition program to be used along with our early childhood curriculum at Village. Visiting our classrooms monthly, sharing a fun lesson about eating right and following the USDA Food Pyramid, Stacey teaches the children the importance of a balanced diet.
Speech and Hearing ScreeningWe offer, through Children’s Therapy Group, a screening test for articulation to assess speech sound development, an observation of the child’s expressive and receptive language skills and a hearing screening. All test results are reported to parents by the speech pathologist performing the screening. This screening is done in the fall for our 4s and 5s and in the spring for our 3s.
ASSESSMENT POLICY
Village Church Preschool places a great value on the individual development and uniqueness of each child. The team teacher approach in the classroom allows the assessment of sixteen children to be done in a step by step process with observational record keeping at the very core. Six general categories of child development are addressed with parents at least twice a year. It takes time to create an accurate picture of each child and how they are relating all of the areas; to the teacher, to each other and the group as a whole. The documentation (observational record keeping) is important verification of the whole picture and how the child’s development unfolds throughout the school year.
Our policy is to respond outside of the twice a year format when it is deemed necessary by the classroom teacher or is requested by a parent. It is our charge as teachers to have a constant and accurate evaluation of each child and to relay information to the parents in a systematic way. Our team approach includes the teachers, administration and the parents using the following process: - Providing developmentally appropriate settings for children to explore their world and teachers that understand child development and children’s needs. - Anecdotal record keeping focusing on child-initiated behaviors (actions the child undertakes independently rather than in response to adult directions) - Daily and weekly planning time to review status of children and plan activities around the needs of each child. - Meetings with the director to assess child’s development and if necessary to help formulate and articulate appropriate feedback and response to teacher and or parent concerns. - Thoughtful and timely response to parent’s request for feedback through phone calls, notes and conferences concerning their child’s development in school. 
Our 3-year-old classrooms use a two part form that shows Reflections (observations by the teachers) and Looking Ahead (goals) with mutual input by parents and teachers. These opportunities for decision making and planning ahead for the children are a valuable part of our supporting family partnerships.
Our 4-year-old classrooms use the High Scope COR form in reporting to the parents. The six categories of observation are: 1. Initiative 2. Social Relations 3. Creative Representation 4. Music and Movement 5. Language and Literacy 6. Logic and Math Our 5-year-old classroom uses the portfolio system of reporting that supports child centered learning. Both teachers and children collect work samples, take photographs, use anecdotal records and involve families in the process. These are shared twice a year with the formal conferences and then sent home at the end of the year with the children. All three methods of evaluation ( for 3s, 4s & 5s) will utilize some form of a portfolio as a means of showing the continuum of each child’s development. This will be sent home at the end of each school year. 2017-2018 TEACHING STAFF
Back Row L-R: Mary Poggie, Joe Lordan, Ellen Wootton, Debbie Smith, Anne Huxtable, Anita Menke
Middle Row L-R: Bentley Messner, Stephanie Leiserowitz, Heather Ream, Debbie Spurlin, Sarah McKee Front Rows: Mary van Thullenar, Lisa Wright, Julie Hauber, Beth Richardson Not pictured: Melinda Regehr 2017-2018 ADVISORY BOARD
L-R: Debbie Spurlin, Sarah McKee, Anne Huxtable, Lisa Wright, Natalie Smith, Katie Montgomery, Laine Meyer, Lindsay Bock, Ellen Wootton
Not Pictured- Debbie Smith |
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