Growing Tree Preschool

Children are a gift from God, entrusted to parents and community for preparation for life. The preschool years of a child’s life help lay the foundation for success in school and life.

While parents are the child’s first and most significant teachers, it is vital that parents and educators work in partnership. As your child’s teachers, we share with you the responsibility for nurturing family life and healthy child development.

Growing Tree Preschool strives to provide a comprehensive preschool experience designed to enhance the child’s physical, social, emotional, spiritual and cognitive growth.

Applications for fall enrollment may be obtained by calling, writing, e-mailing, or visiting the Director. Children must be three years old on or before their first day of attendance. Child must also be toilet-trained. Completed applications plus a non-refundable $30 application fee will be accepted beginning March 1 of the year of enrollment and continuing throughout the school year. When maximum enrollment is reached, applications will be placed on a waiting list, if parents/guardians so desire. Upon receipt of the completed application and fee, the Director will schedule a pre-enrollment visit and interview.

Families who apply for admission in the spring will be notified in writing of their acceptance into the program the first week of June. Families who apply later in the year will receive acceptance notification within three days of the pre-enrollment visit and interview. A child is considered officially enrolled upon receipt of a non-refundable $100 deposit which will be deducted from the first month’s tuition.

Families who wish to re-enroll their children for a second year do so by completing a re-enrollment form and returning it along with a $100 deposit. Re-enrolling children, whose forms are received by the deadline, will be given priority when the class rosters are developed in the summer. Re-enrolling children whose forms are not received by the deadline will be enrolled in chronological order according to the date on which their form is received and space is available.

All children must have paperwork required by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services on file at all times. This paperwork includes the Child Enrollment and Health Information form and a medical form signed by a physician or certified nurse practitioner. The medical form must be submitted within 30 days of admission and must be updated yearly.

It is our privilege to discover God’s presence and uncover God’s action in our lives. As teachers, we will share this discovery process with young children. We can help them name God in their life experiences. Through exploration and reflection on their experiences, young children grow in their understanding and appreciation of the meaning and value of these experiences in their lives.

A goal of Growing Tree Preschool is to construct curriculum that is challenging, interesting and developmentally appropriate. The Christian curriculum is integrated into the content of the preschool curriculum. The following Christian curriculum components include some examples of content areas that would provide opportunities to develop an awareness of God in children’s lives:

There are three enrollment options:

• 5 mornings per week (Mon. through Fri.) ($335 per month)

• 3 mornings per week (Mon. Wed. Fri.) ($250 per month)

• 2 mornings per week (Tues. Thurs.) ($190 per month)

Enrollment is limited to 24 three-four- and five-year old children with three teachers.

Maximum group sizes are as follows:

• Main classroom – 24 children with three teachers

• Snack room – 24 children with three teachers

Growing Tree maintains a staff/child ratio of 1:12, as required by state licensing regulations.

At Growing Tree Preschool, discipline is viewed as the respectful guidance of young children and the teaching of problem solving skills. The goal of discipline is to develop children who are responsible, confident and have self-control. By creating an interesting environment with materials and activities that encourage hands-on exploration for children, we hope to limit inappropriate behaviors. A warm, caring, nurturing relationship between teachers and young children provides a feeling of trust.

Teachers use positive guidance techniques to help children develop the social skills needed for solving interpersonal problems. These skills include cooperating, helping, negotiating, and talking with the person involved. Children learn by observing appropriate behavior demonstrated or modeled by their teachers. Teachers are consistent and predictable in dealing with inappropriate behaviors. As children experiment with what is appropriate or inappropriate behavior, they do make mistakes in judgment. Teachers encourage the expected behaviors and redirect children to a more acceptable activity. Teachers set limits clearly and positively, and enforce appropriate rules firmly and fairly.