The School of Grace Priority Status Registration for next school year, 2012/13, began January 4th.  This means that anyone who is currently enrolled and their siblings, along with Grace Lutheran Church members, get first choice when registering for classes next year, as long as the registration forms are received by January 31st.  After January 31st, all registration forms are processed on a first come, first served basis with forms from the community.

Note that, even in January, registration forms are date stamped as they are received.  This means that if more people with priority status register for a class than there is capacity, whoever turned their form in the earliest gets placed first.  The priority status means you get priority over anyone without status who is registering.

Anyone may register beginning in January.  If you don’t have priority status, you may still turn in a registration form.  All forms that are received during the month of January will be processed during the first week of February.  We will continue to accept registration forms until all of our classes are full.  Then we begin waiting lists for each class.

For more information about the parent participatory preschool, which serves children ages 6 months through 5 years, visit www.schoolofgrace.com.  To set up a tour, contact Lynn Hess at info@schoolofgrace.com or 787-4740.

August is a great time to get ready at The School of Grace. We begin the month with a week of summer camp, greeting old friends and making new ones. For many children, this is similar to preschool orientation, when they get a taste of what the school year will offer.

The Parent Workday is next, when staff, parents and church members work as a team to clean the classrooms and prepare the playgrounds for the beginning of the school year. Who would imagine that sanitizing toys and washing windows could be fun? We combine this event with breakfast, making what would seem like a task, more social. This time, the adults are greeting old friends and making new ones.

Then the staff converges for the back to school Teacher Work days. We begin the week with a staff meeting: sharing stories from the summer; developing a curriculum focus for the year, and discussing the nuts and bolts of the upcoming year. Throughout the week, staff prepares their classrooms and makes home visits. The home visits are truly my favorite part of the week because we spend time in each child’s home getting to know them. Over the years, we have found that taking time to meet with each child in his/her own environment makes the transition into the school year much smoother. When a child arrives at school, he or she already knows the teachers and is ready to jump right in! On Thursday night, the parents arrive for Parent Orientation. We begin with a large group meeting where we get to know each other and learn the philosophy of the school. This year, the staff presented a light hearted skit depicting aspects of a preschool day and tips for parents. Then the parents head to the classrooms to learn about their child’s class and sign up for Helping Parent Days during the school year. Our teacher workdays end on Friday with a day of Infant/Child/Adult CPR and First Aid training. Read the rest of this entry »

There are so many things that are unique and special about The School of Grace Preschool in Raleigh. As a teacher and a parent, one aspect that I am particularly excited about is the parent participatory program at our school.

Parents agree to spend the morning with us in the classroom once or twice each month. Parents are not there to work in the classroom, but rather to spend the morning participating in their child’s learning and development. Every parent I have encountered has expressed nothing but joy in having the opportunity to help the teachers and the children with our daily activities. Parents read, assist with art projects, build with blocks, make creations with play dough, shop for groceries and cook in the kitchen. To sum it up in one word, they play. Read the rest of this entry »

Why Do Parents Participate?

By Megan E.

I have been asked to write a bit about the Parent Participatory aspect of our son’s preschool, The School of Grace. My oldest son began attending the school in January 2010 at 4 years old, and finished up there this past May. Previous to signing him up, he had been home with me the whole time and I had very little experience with any sort of preschool, meaning neither of us had any idea what to expect. I wasn’t so sure what to make of the Parent Participatory aspect myself at first, but we have come to love it and I’m happy to share my opinion on this program.

First, what is “Parent Participatory?”

Well, at it’s most basic level it’s simply a program requiring parent participation. At School of Grace, this means that we drop off our children inside the building every morning and pick them up on the playground when school is over, instead of doing a carpool. It also means helping out in class as “Helping Parent” a couple of times a month, as well as once a year events such as helping out at the fund raising yard sale or helping to clean the classroom during Parent Work Week. Read the rest of this entry »

By Brittany N.- a parent of two preschoolers at The School of Grace and one graduate

I have been a School of Grace parent for almost five years.  Several parents throughout the years have asked why we don’t have a carpool line.  The pros to a carpool line are obvious: a speedy drop off and pick up.  Having three children, I understand how the idea of a carpool line could be convenient and less of a hassle as opposed to walking into the classroom when dropping off and picking up children.  However, the “hassle” is well worth every extra minute.

When dropping my children off, I get to speak with his/her teachers and learn their plans for the day.  Schedules are displayed in the classrooms, giving me great ideas for fun and creative activities at home as well.  I also have the opportunity to speak with other parents, form relationships, set up play dates and get the gist of what everyday life looks like in other people’s homes with small children.  In a sense, it is a fabulous parent support system.  When I drop my children off in their classroom, hug and kiss them goodbye, I feel as though I am communicating to them that The School of Grace is a safe place; that I am comfortable leaving them there but will return in a few hours.  Read the rest of this entry »

According to a June 14, 2011 article in the News and Observer, first lady Michelle Obama has set new standards as part of a national initiative “to encourage child care centers to promote healthy habits starting with the littlest Americans….that promote healthy eating, exercise and limited time in front of TV, computer and other screens.”

“The first lady’s Let’s Move child care checklist stresses five principles:

• Provide one to two hours of physical activity daily.
• No screen time for children under 2.  Limit screen time for older children to no more than 30 minutes per week during child care, and ensure children have no more than one to two hours of quality screen time per day.
• Serve fruit and vegetables at every meal, eat family-style when possible and no fried foods.
• Provide access to water throughout the day, and do not serve sugary drinks.
• Support mothers who want to breast-feed by providing mother’s milk to infants and welcoming mothers who want to breast-feed their children during the child-care day.”

While this initiative is geared toward full day child care centers, at The School of Grace, we are already following similar standards as a half day preschool program:

• All children experience outdoor exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes per morning.  Teachers have alternate plans for movement indoors during inclement weather.  In addition, children often participate in stretching exercises as they prepare for Circle Time and other special programs.  In Music, all songs include either fine or gross motor movement, or both.  Physical Activity is a natural part of our curriculum. Read the rest of this entry »

Come join us on July 14th and 28th for our annual summer Playground Playdates.  This event is for all families with preschoolers, including past and returning School of Grace families, along with anyone interested in learning more about our program.  Join us from 10 a.m. until noon on the playground.  We’ll have bubbles, water play and more!

This is a fun way to see old friends, make new friends and talk with others about The School of Grace.  Sign up is not required.  All you need to do is show up!  An adult must accompany each child or siblings.  Bathing suits are recommended.

This is a free event!

Questions:  Contact the Director through the website or by calling 919.787.4740

August 1-5, 2011 from 9 a.m. until Noon

Click here for the Summer Camp Registration Form

Watermelon, sandals, days spent at the pool and weekends camping at the beach are all fond summer memories. The beauty of summer is time for those activities; time for a change of pace.  Somehow, while summer schedules seem just as busy as during the regular school year, they are just different in the summer.

At The School of Grace, we honor the tradition of summer, giving families a break and time for a change in routine. In August, we celebrate with a week of camp for children ages 2 through 5 years.  Camp is not a mirror of the regular school year, it is different. While we still enjoy time each morning for creating, exploring and getting to know each other, we incorporate an outdoor component, water. Read the rest of this entry »

Greetings,

As you know, we held our 16th Annual Yard Sale this morning. Our parent, staff and high school volunteers spent many hours setting up the Fellowship Hall, receiving donations, organizing, pricing, baking, selling, packing up, cleaning and delivering our surplus to North Raleigh Ministries. Although there are many components in just a few days to the Yard Sale, everything went smoothly because our volunteers eagerly participated.

Our parents, church members, families and friends also donated time as they cleaned out closets, attics and garages, donating their extras to The School of Grace.

The sale itself was delightful! We reconnected with people who attend each year, learning about families like the mother with twins who struggled last year and received many donations of baby supplies from us. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to The School of Grace, a parent participatory preschool serving children ages 6 months through 5 years. We are a non-profit program that strives to help each child reach his or her greatest potential. We do this by focusing on who the child is at the moment he/she steps into our school. Each child is welcomed and guided into a classroom that taps into a variety of learning styles and interests. The teachers adapt the classroom throughout the year based on the needs and interests of the children. For example, during one year, the children in the Turtle (Infant/Toddler) Class thoroughly enjoyed dressing up. Every day, someone donned the dresses, hats, boots and shirts, pretending to be many different characters. The following year, no one even approached the dress up center. The teacher removed the clothing and replaced it with puppets, much to the children’s delight. Read the rest of this entry »