Hickory Grove United Methodist Church

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Our Mission

Welcome to the home page for Hickory Grove United Methodist Preschool. If you are here, you are looking for a preschool program that will be a good fit for you and your child. From a recent article in the Parent to Parent section in the Charlotte Observer newspaper, I quote, “If your son is assigned nurturing teachers and the school’s philosophy is “children learn through play,” you are off to a good start.” The author goes on to say, “What kids learn through play is phenomenal.” For parents wishing to read this article in its entirety, it can be found at the end of this page.

Here at Hickory Grove United Methodist Preschool, our school mission statement embodies the principals of learning through play. Our Mission is…To provide a loving Christian environment where children feel secure, grow in self-esteem and gain a love of learning. Our program concentrates on developing self-help skills, learning through active hands on play and developing socialization skills. Teachers develop a curriculum that incorporates music, art, children’s literature, developmental skills and fun!

The Preschool is just one of the vital children’s ministries sponsored by Hickory Grove United Methodist Church. Please visit the other links on this site to learn more about other programs available for children as well as for the entire family.


Ages
Children 18 months until Kindergarten.


School hours

9 a.m. - 1 p.m. daily.
Summer programs and after school care are not offered. Information regarding opening school dates, open house dates and teacher assignments is mailed to parents in mid August.


How To Register for Preschool

Registration forms are available from the church office, the Preschool office, or may be downloaded here. To register, simply complete the registration form and mail or bring to the Preschool office along with the registration fee. Information regarding tuition rates, registration fees and class sizes is found on the registration form.


Parents are encouraged to visit the school and observe the children and teachers in the classroom setting. For additional information on the program or to ask for a tour, please contact me at 704-537-4658.


Sharon Freeze, Preschool Director.


From The Charlotte Observer, February 3, 2004

Parent to Parent - BETSY FLAGLER

Pick a Preschool that emphasizes playtime

Q.Q. It’s time to register for preschool. I’ve chosen one that my friends recommended, but I’m not sure whether it will be a good fit for my 3-year-old son.

If your son is assigned nurturing teachers and the school’s philosophy is “children learn through play,” you’re off to a good start.

“Preschoolers are wigglers and doers,” says Alan Simpson, communications director of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. “They need activities that engage them.”

Research shows that young children learn best through manipulation of materials and age-appropriate hands-on experience, Simpson says.

“In a high-quality preschool, learning is embedded in activities that engage the senses,” he says. “It’s crucial for programs to recognize that preschoolers are not high school students.”

Sandra Heidemann, an early childhood specialist from Minneapolis, agrees that the best early childhood programs use play to get at academics. One doesn’t rule out the other. ]

“I worry that people are cutting back on playtime,” she says. “What kids learn through play is phenomenal.”

In an evaluation of a preschool, Simpson says, teacher training, the ratio of teachers to students, the turnover rate of teachers, the size of the groups, and the health and safety of the program are all important to look at.

Other concerns are more difficult to measure: Does the class feel warm and inviting? How do the teachers strengthen social and emotional skills within the class?

Questions to explore:

Sharing: Are there enough materials and duplicates of popular toys?
Expressing feelings: Do the teachers interact with children to help them use words to make their needs known?
Building friendship skills: Do teachers plan activities that encourage children to help each other?
Focusing: To help a child stick to a task, are the teachers able to adjust to individual learning styles? - UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE

Parent to Parent: Reach Betsy Flagler at p2ptips@att.net