Preschool

Email contact: preschool@stjohnsop.com

St. John's Preschool serves the Western New York southtowns communities of Orchard Park, Hamburg, West Seneca, East Aurora, Colden, and West Falls, Blasdell, Windom, Lakeview and Eden.

Table Of Contents

 Introduction To St. John's Preschool

Education Goals

Entrance Requirements

Registration Procedures

Registration Fee

Tuition

Schedule

Field Trips

Clothing

Birthdays

Consultations, Conferences and Progress Reports 

Directory

Non-Discriminatory Policy

Children Learn What They Live

Click HERE to download our registration form

INTRODUCTION TO ST. JOHN'S PRESCHOOL

Welcome to our St. John’s Christian Preschool! We have three-year-old classes, a four-year-old class, and a three/four-year-old combined class.  The purpose of St. John’s Christian Preschool is to foster competence in all areas of a preschooler’s life by providing a stimulating Christian atmosphere in which to grow and develop. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will strive to provide an environment in which each child’s growth and development can be observed and assessed in order to identify specific abilities and areas of additional need. As an outreach of Christian love, we hope to serve as a welcome center for parents, providing resources so that the understanding of children and the Gospel may be enhanced. All of this is done to help children and ultimately their families, grow closer to God.

Our goal is to give your child a variety of learning experiences that will help him/her grow in all respects.  We provide rhythm and music, easel and finger painting, clay modeling, block building and more.  Manipulatives are furnished for the development of small muscle skills, while outdoor play and movement benefit whole body coordination.

Listening and oral language skills are strengthened through our language arts curriculum and are enriched by rhymes, fingerplays, poetry, and story dictation.  Time is spent on exploring God's wonderful world through social studies and science activities. Our Christ centered beliefs are interwoven throughout every aspect of the school experience. Children are taught to recognize the Bible as God's true Word, apply it to their daily lives, and to come to know Jesus as Creator, God, and Savior.

Through our program, we encourage your child to display independence, cooperation (discussing and sharing instead of fighting for play equipment) and decision-making.  Working together with you, the parents, our aim is for a successful transition from home to school, and a positive school experience.

EDUCATION GOALS  

 GROW SPIRITUALLY so as to -

                              * develop a sense of trust for God

                              * realize a need for and develop a response toward God’s love.

                              * know Jesus as his/her personal Savior

                              * feel secure in God’s love and care

GROW EMOTIONALLY so as to -

                              * develop a sense of security and trust

                              * demonstrate independence, self responsibility and self-regulation

                              * develop an understanding of himself as a special creation of God

                              * channel emotions into appropriate and acceptable outlets

                              * be free to risk failure and be comfortable with mistakes

GROW SOCIALLY so as to -

                              * learn to play, work and communicate with peers and adults

                              * adjust to group situations

                              * accept others even though they may be different from self

                              * develop a sense of community

                              * accept change in environment and routines

GROW PHYSICALLY so as to -

                    * develop gross and fine motor coordination

                    * develop eye-hand and eye-foot coordination

                    * demonstrate awareness of his/her own body

GROW INTELLECTUALLY so as to -

                              * continue to develop language use and understanding

                              * develop pre-reading skills such as:

                              * visual discrimination

                              * auditory discrimination

                              * understanding of symbols

                              * interest in and love of books

                              * develop an ever-increasing attention span

                              * complete tasks begun

                              * initiate his or her own activities

GROW CREATIVELY so as to -

                              * view him/herself as a unique individual created and valued by God

                              * express ideas in his or her own unique way

                              * be free to create artistically using a variety of media

                              * develop his/her God-given talents and abilities

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Children enrolled in St. John’s Christian Preschool must be at least 3 years of age by December 1 to be eligible for the three-year-old class, or 4 years of age by December 1 for the four-year-old class, and 3 or 4 years of age by December 1 to be eligible for the three/four-year-old class respectively.  Three-year-old classes meet Tuesday and Thursday (morning and afternoon), and the four-year-old class meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning; with the three/four-year-old class meeting Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon.  Application forms and registration fees should be returned promptly to assure your child’s acceptance. 

Registration Procedures

Registration for all classes begins in January of the year of enrollment.  Students are accepted on a first come, first served basis.  You can call the church office (662-4747) for registration forms. 

REGISTRATION FEE

Each child pays a registration fee of $50.00, plus the first month’s tuition (these are non-refundable), and must accompany the application.  Please make checks payable to St. John’s Lutheran Church .

TUITION  

Tuition is based on a yearly charge divided by nine months and remains constant regardless of holidays.  The tuition is $120.00 a month for the four-year-old and three/four-year-old classes (3 days a week) and $94.00 a month for the three-year-old class (2 days per week).  If you have more than one child enrolled, a 25% discount will be applied to the tuition for the additional child(ren).

All tuition payments should be made payable to St. John’s Lutheran Church at the beginning of each month. For security and ease of bookkeeping purposes, please make all tuition payments in the form of check or money order.  After registration, the first tuition payment is due October 1. 

SCHEDULE

Morning classes are held from 9:15 to 11:45.  Afternoon classes are held from 12:30 to 3:00.  For your child’s safety we ask that you accompany him/her into the building.  If someone other than the parent is to pick up your child, the teacher must be notified in writing!  Doors are locked during school hours for the safety of the children, but there is a doorbell if you need to arrive during class hours.

Three-year-old classes - Tuesday and Thursday

(morning and afternoon)

Four-year-old class - Monday, Wednesday, Friday

(morning)

Three/four-year-old class – Monday, Wednesday, Friday

(afternoon)

FIELD TRIPS

Several field trips are planned each year to places like the fire department and a farm.  They are designed to be age-appropriate for the class.  Parents are welcome to attend, and often siblings can attend too.

CLOTHING

Some important considerations for your child’s clothing:

1. Clothing such as coats, boots, etc. should be labeled with your child's name clearly visible. 

2. All children should wear play clothes since we spend time on the floor in games and outdoors in the                 playground.  Sneakers are recommended by the teachers.

BIRTHDAYS

Many of the children wish to share their birthdays with other children in their class.  If the child’s birthday is in the summer, we often celebrate his/her half birthday.

CONSULTATIONS, CONFERENCES AND

PROGRESS REPORTS

Parent teacher conferences are held in early Spring. This is a good time for you and the teacher to share views on your child and to discuss his or her progress. 

The primary objective of conferences is to establish a more harmonious working relationship between home and school.  They serve to strengthen the mutual interest of the parent and teacher in the child’s progress and to assist both parents and teacher in following a course of action that will best serve the needs of the child.

DIRECTORY

St. John’s Christian Preschool - 662-4781

St. John’s Lutheran Church and Pastor Dennis Conrad - 662-4747

Your child’s teacher welcomes your questions and concerns.  Please speak to them before classes begin or after classes are dismissed.  If an emergency arises during the course of the school day, please contact St. John’s Church Office (662-4747) and a message will be immediately relayed to your child’s teacher.  If no one is available in the office, please call the Preschool (662-4781) and leave a message.

                                                Four-year-old class and three/four-year-old class:

                                                Teacher                        Maureen Roth 

                                                Teacher Assistant         Lynn Sipprell   

                                                Three-year-old class:

                                                Teacher                        Mary Felong    

                                                Teacher Assistant         Laura Stojanovski        

ST. JOHN'S SCHOOL BOARD

Dianne Buyer - Chairman

Diane Baldauf

Mary Ellen Ferguson

Bob Foerster

Scott Kummer

Marcia Wagner

Pastor Dennis Conrad

NON-DISCRIMINATORY POLICY

St. John’s Christian Preschool admits students of any race, color, national and ethic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.  It does not discriminate of the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

Dorothy Law Nolte has to be given credit for her poem since it is copyrighted.  Also, I have reprinted the poem in its entirety below….

                  If a child lives with criticism, he/she learns to condemn.

                  If a child lives with hostility, he/she learns to fight.

                  If a child lives with ridicule, he/she learns to be shy.

                  If a child lives with shame, he/she learns to feel guilty.

                  If a child lives with tolerance, he/she learns to be patient.

                  If a child lives with encouragement, he/she learns confidence.

                  If a child lives with praise, he/she learns confidence.

                  If a child lives with fairness, he/she learns justice.

                  If a child lives with security, he/she learns to have faith.

                  If a child lives with approval, he/she learns to like him/herself.

                  If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he/she learns to

                  find love in the world.

To this we would add...

If a child lives with Jesus in the family, he/she learns to love with selflessness, and to give his/her life in service to others.