We Believe

A good program recognizes that:

The National Academy of Early Childhood Programs

In 1986, Paradise Valley United Methodist Church Preschool received acceptance into the Academy, the only national accreditation program existing today. The Academy, a part of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, sets the standards of excellence in Early Childhood Education. The Academy reviews our program each year and reaccredidation is completed every fifth year.

The ten components of the accreditation process are: (1) interactions among staff and children, (2) curriculum, (3) staff-parent interaction, (4) staff qualifications and development, (5) administration, (6) staffing, (7) physical environment (8) health and safety, (9) nutrition and food service, and (10) evaluations.

To validate the high quality of our program and to reflect pride in our profession, we display our certificates of accreditation in the Preschool office.


OUR OBJECTIVES

LANGUAGE ARTS: To develop expressive and receptive skills. Including but not limited to: creative dramatics, poetry, finger plays, composing group experiences stories, recording individual language, group speaking, listening skills, beginning phonics and exposure to the best in children's literature.

SCIENCE: To stimulate curiosity and develop a scientific approach by observing, recording, experimenting, sorting, classifying and being responsible for live animals and plants. To explore the properties of objects with all five sense and through water play and cooking. To establish good health habits including but not limited to nutrition and exercise; and concern for and care of the environment.

SOCIAL STUDIES: To expose children to multicultural customs and historic events. To increase the child's awareness of the people who are a part of his/her world through classroom visits, visual materials and dramatic play.

ART: To provide an environment with a multitude of creative experience for each child to explore, including but not limited to painting, clay, collage, wood working and paper crafts.

MUSIC: To make music an integral part of a child's life at school through listening experiences, singing, rhythm, and creative movement.

MATHEMATICS: To explore relationships ( e.g., less, more, part, whole, few, many), one-to-one correspondence, matching shapes, proportions, and balance as well as number concepts.

PERCEPTUAL MOTOR: To enhance the child's self-perception of his/her body through movement experiences that focus on gross motor skills, spatial relationships, balance, coordination, unilateral, bilateral and cross-lateral movements.


ENROLLMENT

Enrollment is open to all children regardless of ethnic or religious background. When we have a place for your child we will call you and request the registration fee be sent. No place is secure until the full registration fee is paid. Enrollment is usually completed in March. For information regarding enrollment, please contact Preschool Director Mindy Sobraske at (602) 840-8265.


REGISTRATION

Registration for those children who are currently enrolled at Paradise Valley United Methodist Church Preschool is in February or March for the following September. Registration for all other children takes place throughout the year. Upon receiving child's application and a non-refundable processing fee, your child's name is added to our list of prospective students. As soon as a space is available for your child you will be called. The full registration fee is due at that time. We keep all applications until you tell us your child will not be attending Paradise Valley United Methodist Church Preschool.

You are welcome to visit at any time, to use Mom's Morning Out (with a reservation made by calling the Preschool Office at 602-840-8265) and to discuss any concerns you have about our school or your child's enrollment.


PRESCHOOL APPLICATIONS FOR UNBORN CHILDREN

Applications for unborn children (mother is pregnant with the child at the time application is filled out) will not be processed until the birth date for the child and other needed information is verified by phone or in person and the processing fee is paid.


PLACEMENT PRIORITIES

Priority is determined by the date the application for preschool is received and processed by the Preschool Director for that individual child. Preschool placement priorities for children who wish to attend the preschool are as follows: (for children admitted after July 1, 2002)

• Children and/or legal dependents of Paradise Valley United Methodist Church Preschool contracted employees.
• Returning students (children who currently attend the preschool).
• Paradise Valley United Methodist Church members (as defined by Paradise Valley United Methodist Church). Parents must be members for 6 months or more to have this priority.
• Siblings of returning students.
• Siblings of former students.
• All others on the wait list.

The above policies can be waived by Preschool Director in conjunction with the Preschool Board Executive Committee.


FEES

Preschool fees are set each year by the Paradise Valley United Methodist Church Preschool Board.Please refer to the preschool website for current fees.

PARADISE VALLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PRESCHOOL RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE / CANCEL CLASSES BASED ON CLASS SIZE, PARENT REQUEST OR TO MAKE OTHER CHANGES AS THE PRESCHOOL REQUIRES.

The PARENT / TODDLER INTERACTION PROGRAM is for parents and toddlers (ages 18 to 24 months)

The CO-OPERATIVE CLASS is for children (24 to 35 months) and their parents. Each parent is required to work in the classroom approximately two times a month and attend scheduled parent education meetings.

PRESCHOOL CLASSES have an approximate nine-month age range between the oldest and youngest child in the class with a balance of boys and girls. Class size increases as the children get older. Class sizes are limited by the Preschool Board to insure a quality program.

T/Th EXPANDED CLASS is for 4 and 5 year olds. The class hours are 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. on M/W/F and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursdays. The children bring their lunches on Tuesday and Thursdays.

The EXTENDED DAY class is for those children who turn five by December 31st. The class hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The children bring their lunch each day.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS are offered each year. Registration and information for these programs will be mailed in August and/or as the program begin throughout the year.

The MOM'S MORNING OUT program provides a nursery setting for children who are walking and are strong walkers. Reservations must be made 24 hours ahead to insure a spot for your child. You may call the preschool office at 602-840-8265 to make a reservation. Please refer to the preschool website for current fees.

The Paradise Valley United Methodist Church Preschool Board sets policy in conjunction with guidance from the Senior Pastor and the Paradise Valley United Methodist Church Pastor Staff Parish Committee.

The Church and the Preschool work closely together to serve the needs of young families. Rev. Andrea Andress, Paradise Valley United Methodist Church's minister to children and families and the rest of the Paradise Valley United Methodist Church clergy and staff are always interested in hearing from Preschool families.