Weekday School - Program Information

Philosophy

What we believe about children and learning:

• Childhood is an essential and unique stage of human development to be valued for its present importance and not just as preparation for adulthood.
• Each child and family is unique and should be respected for who they are. 
• Children learn best in a community in which they are safe and valued, their physical needs are met, and they feel psychologically secure. 
• Children need to develop a sense of self-worth and feelings of competence.
• The social, emotional, cognitive, physical, linguistic, creative, and spiritual areas of development are equally important.
• Growth and development occur at varying rates for children.
• Children learn through active involvement with developmentally appropriate materials. Play is the essential way in which children learn.
• Children must learn respect for others and appreciation of differences among people and cultures. 
• Children must learn the skills necessary to cooperate with and interact with others.
• We must help children learn to make decisions and to accept responsibilty for those decisions.
• Relationships between teachers and children must be based upon trust, respect, and love.
• Each child is a child of God and will first understand God's love through the love shown by caring adults.

Our curriculum is based on the principles defined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and includes:

1. A balance of child-initiated and teacher-initiated activities
2. Materials and equipment that are appropriate to the age group
3. A variety of teaching strategies that enhance children's learning and development
4. A balance of activities which include quiet and active play, individual and group activities, indoor and outdoor play, and both large-muscle and small-muscle activities
5. A variety of developmentally appropriate activities and materials provided by the teacher

Teachers and Staff

The greatest resource of any school is its teachers. The Weekday School teachers enrich our program beyond measure as they bring to the school many years of teaching experience and impressive educational backgrounds.  The length of service of the WDS staff also has a strong impact on the quality of the program, as many of the teachers have served the school eight or more years and several teachers, more than ten years.

There is one common denominator for all of these teachers – their genuine love and enjoyment of young children and an inspiring commitment to the importance of the early childhood years.  The teachers in our program are trained in child development and regularly receive in-service training through professional development classes during the school year.  Each teacher shows a remarkable dedication to the well-being and nurture of the children in her care and values a relationship of open and frequent communication with each parent. 

The teachers provide an excellent educational program in the classroom that focuses on developing all the skills necessary to prepare young children for their future – intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally.  They bring to the classroom creativity, classroom management skills, an awareness of the differences in children, and boundless energy and enthusiasm.

The staff also includes the director, Janis Rikard, who has been the director since 1990, and she is ably assisted by the assistant director, Melissa Bond.  The students and staff also receive the benefit of two resource teachers and a Christian Education teacher.

Enrichment Opportunities

In addition to the regular classroom curriculum, the WDS offers a wide variety of enrichment activities on-site and off-site to broaden the children’s educational experience.  Weekly music classes are offered on-site for our 3s, 4s and TK students. Several other programs are offered on-site each year by the Science Reach department of Discovery Place and by the World Cultural Center.  These programs include science and social studies topics such as space exploration, dinosaurs, Native Americans, China, Mexico, and Africa. 

Other enrichment opportunities offered at the school are My Gym classes and theatre productions by The Children’s Theatre and Grey Seal Puppets.  All children in the 2s, 3s, 4s, and TK classes have monthly visits from the Christian Education teacher, and the 4s and TK children attend a monthly chapel service led by the church’s Director of Children’s Ministries.

The students also attend numerous programs off-site during the year, including several classes a year at Discovery Place and the Nature Museum, monthly classes at the Preschool Arts Lab, and several other community field trips to the Recycling Center, Wing Haven Bird Sanctuary, Hezekiah Alexander House, the neighborhood fire station and uptown office buildings. 

Weekday School Advisory Committee

This committee provides important leadership and support for the Weekday School – serving as a link between the school and the church, advocating for the needs of the children and parents, and supporting the school staff in many ways.  The committee is comprised of fourteen parents and church members (who serve a three-year term), two representatives from the Session and the Diaconate, the director of the Weekday School, the business administrator of the church, the Christian Education Minister.  The Advisory Committee is responsible for establishing policies, overseeing financial matters, coordinating special events for the school, and organizing teacher appreciation events.

The special events coordinated by the Advisory Committee include:
Family Fun Night…Parent Socials…Class Get-Togethers…Speaker Programs for Parents…Kindergarten Readiness Program…Week of the Young Child events…Field Day…Book and Toy Fairs…End of Year Picnic for 4s and TK families…Music Program and Luncheon in the spring for parents and children of the 3s, 4s, and TK classes…Book Drive for schools serving at-risk children.