The Saint John's Pre-School caters to young children ages 3 through 5 and operates from September through May each year at the Saint John's Episcopal Church Educational Center adjacent to the church. It is a fee-based educational program certified in the State of Maryland and subsidized by Saint John's Parish. Phone: 301-733-2560 Introductions Rev. Ann Boyd, Chapel Instructor Lisa Appleby - Director/Head Teacher for four-year-old students Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and in Early Childhood Education. She also holds an Associate Degree in Child Care Management and Administration. Lisa has been working with young children since 1988. Katherine Petrill- Teacher with the three year olds: Katherine received her master's degree as a Reading Specialist and her bachelor's degree in Early Childhood from Hood University. She has been teaching for sixteen years. Jacqueline Kenworthy- Instructional Assistant with the three year olds: Jacqueline received her degree as a medical assistant from Yorktown Business College. She is an experienced substitute teacher with the Washington County Public School System and is an aftercare coordinator. Sharon Honeycutt- Instructional Assistant with the four year olds: Sharon has spent the past eight years volunteering at Emmittsburg Elementary School helping children with reading, writing, spelling and using the library. Goals Develop an excellent program that emphasizes the math and literacy skills that are so critical at this age. Maintain the small class size to tailor the program to the individual abilities and needs of each child. Encourage children to stretch their minds to the next level and be there to provide that extra challenge to the high achiever. To provide a safe, happy and developmentally appropriate place for your children to cultivate their unique talents during their preschool years, to develop socialization skills that will assist them in interacting in a school environment. For each child to leave our preschool with a love of learning and a curiosity about the world. A "Typical" Day in Preschool So that you can get a sense of what goes on in preschool each day, I have created a general outline. However, please note that some variations occur due to which class the child is in and if any special events are planned for that day, etc. Arrival: Children are greeted by the teacher and nametags will be given to each child for them to wear during the first couple weeks of school. Then, name strips will be placed on the table and as each child arrives they will be asked to locate their name. Then, each letter of the child's name will be traced by their finger. Circle time: Circle time is when the children, teacher and parent helpers gather together for songs, finger plays, sharing, news of the day, stories, calendar, group games, etc. Work Time/Center Time: Different centers are set up at the tables and around the room, some focusing on the theme for the day, some creative art projects and some evoking manipulative skills. Some of the regular centers are the dramatic play "house" area, book corner, blocks, sensory/water table, easel painting. Children flow from center to center as their interests dictate. Snack: Families will provide nutritious snacks for their child only. Snack time is a fun time for social interaction and nourishment. Small Group Time: An adult meets with a small group of children to engage in a fairly structured activity planned by the teacher. The activities vary based on the maturity of the age group. The three-year-old class may not have small group every day. Outside Play: Scheduled playground time for about 20-30 minutes. We will attempt to take the children outside every day weather permitting. If weather is bad, we will play in our large multipurpose room. Chapel Time: Children have the opportunity to go into the church twice each month. St. John's clergy, Rev. Ann Boyd, leads the children in familiar and age appropriate stories from the Old & New Testament of the Bible. Chapel is nondenominational.