Little School has been a state certified and licensed preschool since we were established on September 5, 1995. Little School is an educational outreach program of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church and follows all criteria for State and National Accreditation.
PHILOSOPHY
St. Luke’s Little School programs are designed to provide a developmentally appropriate, play-based, Christian, curriculum and to affirm each child through group and one-on one interaction. Each child is viewed as an individual with unique gifts and abilities. The children enrolled in our program will find a world of educational materials, toys, dedicated professionals, and other children who are exploring the world under the guidance of a highly trained staff. Our program provides a variety of enjoyable and creative learning activities in literacy, math, science, social studies, and performing arts. The children will also be encouraged to develop a respect for cultural diversity. The philosophy of the program stresses a positive approach to discipline with love and explanation to help them through their school years. We focus on helping children become well-rounded.
CURRICULUM
Little School strives to expose children to a variety of Christian learning experiences that follow developmentally appropriate practices. Children are exposed to research-based and play-based learning activities which encourage developmentally appropriate cognitive, behavioral, and social skills. At Little School, we believe in a holistic approach to education and strive to educate and nurture the whole child.
Our primary literacy curriculum at Little School is the Letterland Literacy curriculum. Letterland provides children with a basic knowledge of letter sounds with pictograms. Children will learn through kinesthetic activities, fine and gross motor activities, music, art, and basic literacy activities. The program provides children with an excellent foundation for their literacy learning.
We also implement the Learning Without Tears curriculum. This curriculum helps children to increase their fine motor skills, including proper pencil grasp, cutting, and upper body strength to prepare children for writing and language arts.
In addition to our literacy curricula, students learn about the world around them through science, social studies, math, art, music, and dance.
Our Chapel theme for the 2024-2025 school year is the "messy artist" and bible stories. Students will attend Chapel once a month.
Our primary literacy curriculum at Little School is the Letterland Literacy curriculum. Letterland provides children with a basic knowledge of letter sounds with pictograms. Children will learn through kinesthetic activities, fine and gross motor activities, music, art, and basic literacy activities. The program provides children with an excellent foundation for their literacy learning.
We also implement the Learning Without Tears curriculum. This curriculum helps children to increase their fine motor skills, including proper pencil grasp, cutting, and upper body strength to prepare children for writing and language arts.
In addition to our literacy curricula, students learn about the world around them through science, social studies, math, art, music, and dance.
Our Chapel theme for the 2024-2025 school year is the "messy artist" and bible stories. Students will attend Chapel once a month.
STAFF QUALIFICATIONS
We are a highly trained staff! All teachers are required to meet state standards and receive 15 hours of continuing education annually. Teachers receive full fingerprint and criminal background checks, are CPR and First Aid trained, and demonstrate knowledge of all emergency procedures. Our staff has been at Little School an average of 15 years.
The director, Ms. Kelly, has been in the field of education for over 20 years, and has taught children ages two through adults receiving their master degrees in education. She has been the director at Little School for seven years, a teacher, and both of her children attended Little School. She has extensive knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices in education, and spent eight years teaching at a local university in the fields of early education and elementary education. In addition, Kelly has written full program curricula that has been implemented at universities across the nation in the content areas of early childhood education degrees. She holds a current principal license in Colorado and has a doctoral minor in Education Leadership and Policy Studies. Little School also has two assistant directors, Ms. Amanda and Ms. Cali, who are large center director qualified in Colorado.
The director, Ms. Kelly, has been in the field of education for over 20 years, and has taught children ages two through adults receiving their master degrees in education. She has been the director at Little School for seven years, a teacher, and both of her children attended Little School. She has extensive knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices in education, and spent eight years teaching at a local university in the fields of early education and elementary education. In addition, Kelly has written full program curricula that has been implemented at universities across the nation in the content areas of early childhood education degrees. She holds a current principal license in Colorado and has a doctoral minor in Education Leadership and Policy Studies. Little School also has two assistant directors, Ms. Amanda and Ms. Cali, who are large center director qualified in Colorado.
