St. James' Preschool

Mission Statement: The pre-school is a state licensed, non-profit organization sponsored by St. James Lutheran Church. The school is a community outreach to Southbury and the surrounding towns.

Philosophy: The pre-school recognizes that a child’s work is play. As a child plays, he or she learns about the world. Our classroom is divided into several interest areas to encourage a child’s curiosity and creativity. A child’s positive self-image is fostered through mastering new concepts and experiences.

Positive social skills are encouraged through group activities. Literacy is introduced through a print rich environment, phonemic awareness activities (songs, rhymes, and poems) and high-quality children’s literature. Mathematical concepts are introduced by blocks building, water play, cooking and by exploration of simple experiments. Fine muscle control is mastered by the use of table activities, puzzles, painting, cutting, gluing, and clay. Gross motor coordination is encouraged by outdoor play.

Curriculum: The curriculum at the pre-school is child-centered and “evidenced-based.” The curriculum guides used at the pre-school are known to be “Best Standards” for Early Childhood Education. The Creative Curriculum and the Core Knowledge Preschool Curriculum used in the pre-school are comprehensive child development-based curriculums that meet national standards.

Staff: Mary Tinley, Director
Diane Tomas, Teacher
Donna Roth, Teacher

Monthly Enrichment Programs include Music, Nature, and German language & culture

Classes: Monday-Wednesday-Friday morning class for 4 year olds—(9:00 a.m. to noon)
Tuesday-Thursday morning class for 3 year olds—(9:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.)
Tuesday through Thursday afternoon class for 4 year olds—(12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.)

Cancellations and Delays: The preschool cancels when Region 15 cancels. When Region 15 has a delayed opening, the preschool will open at 10:30 and dismiss at the regular time. Delayed openings do not affect the afternoon session. When Region 15 has an early dismissal due to weather conditions, the preschool will dismiss at 11 and cancel the afternoon session. There are times throughout the school year that Region 15 will have early dismissals due to teacher meetings and conference days; the preschool may shorten sessions on those days to avoid staffing conflicts.