- Details
What are the costs?
The registration fee is $50.00 per family.
Tuition for the Pre-Kindergarten class is $250 per month.
Tuition for the preschool class is $200 per month.
When is Open Arms Christian Preschool in session?
The Pre-K has a 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM morning class and a 12:45 to 3:30 PM afternoon class Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The preschool class is 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Tuesdays and Thursdays.
We follow the Poudre School District calendar for major holidays, vacations, conferences and snow days, but begin the day after Labor Day and end sooner in May.
What is the ratio of teachers to children?
The Preschool class of three-year-olds is limited to fifteen children, with two or three teachers, depending on class size.
The Pre-K class of four- and five-year-olds is limited to fifteen children with two teachers.
What kind of curriculum to you use?
We use a theme-based curriculum based on the Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines, which emphasize social and emotional growth as well as age-appropriate academic skills. We recognize that all children do not learn the same way, so we assess individual skills throughout the year to understand the areas that need more focus for each child.
Research has shown how important social/emotional skills are for young children. We put a lot of emphasis on these skills, all while teaching appropriate academics in a fun way. Visitors to our classroom comment on how positive the environment feels and how happy the children are. It is a fact that children who feel safe and happy in the classroom learn better and feel more confident.
How is discipline handled?
Children are redirected to other areas or to more appropriate interactions with others.
We encourage children to speak to another child who may be bothering them with “Stop, I don’t like that” or similar phrases, which empowers children to control their environment without tattling or being bullied, and often prevents behaviors from getting out of control. It also alerts the teachers to inappropriate behaviors.
If an issue continues, the child will be taken to the small blue “thinking circle” (apart from the others, while still in the classroom) to take a break. After the child has a few minutes to think, the teacher talks with them about what other choices could have been made for a better outcome. If other children are involved, they will be included in the conversation. We take the time to teach the children the skills they need to work through situations of conflict so they can start learning these skills now. We always view such situations as great teaching moments.
Parents are informed if big issues come up so we can work together to help the child learn how to solve problems in an age-appropriate way.
How do you keep the children safe while they’re at school?
The only unlocked exterior doors are on the north side by the church office or the south doors that parents use. We lock the south doors while class is in session and the church office doors are monitored.
Once the children are in the classroom, the classroom doors are closed and always locked. No one can come in unless we open the door for them.
Children are never allowed to leave the classroom without a parent or teacher and are escorted to and from the bathrooms at all times.
Children must be signed in and out each day and only persons designated by the parents are allowed to pick up the children. We dismiss each child one at a time so we always see the parent/guardian with their child.