By Brittany N.

At The School of Grace, two special classes are offered each week. Chapel is offered to the three older classes and Music is offered to every class. This year, the Tadpole and Turtle Classes join each other for Music on Thursdays in the church library. During Music, the preschool Director, Lynn, leads the Music lesson. She sings while teaching children words and movements to each song. Lynn also plays the guitar and introduces an instrument to be played by all the children. Teachers and assistant teachers sing along, assisting the children however possible. Some weeks we play tiny 4oz plastic cups with plastic spoons, other weeks we shake bells strung in a circle on pipe cleaners. We love beating our plastic coffee container drums and sometimes we even use bright colored, mesh scarves to wave around and toss in the air. Many other creative utensils and tools are used as our musical instruments, with my favorite one of all: the wooden percussion frogs. Continue reading →

By Lynn Hess, Director

The staff members are getting ready for the Art Show. Next week, you will notice canopies in the Fellowship Hall. Each class will use one canopy to display art collected throughout the school year. As the week progresses, more art will be displayed.

During the week, I will visit each class and read “Harold and the Purple Crayon”. We will talk about how Harold uses his imagination to create. Then we will make the connection between Harold’s entertaining pictures and stories to the art the children have created at school. We’ll visit the Art Show as a class, allowing each child to choose his/her favorite piece of his own art. The children will then put a “Purple Crayon Award” on that piece of art, after which, we will all clap and cheer. The children adore this part of the art show. They learn that what they create is important and that we celebrate who they are. Continue reading →

By Lynn Hess, Director

Now that registration is open for the upcoming school year, prospective parents are asking about the school day.  In order to give the best snapshot of what happens at The School of Grace, I’ll summarize the actual events from a journal entry on November 14th, 2011 in the Turtle (Infant/Toddler) Class.

9:00 a.m. Children arrived, hanging their jackets up, some removed their shoes, placing them in the shoe basket, then they all began to play in the center of their choice (ball pit, climbing gym, housekeeping, dolls, music, cars and trucks, dress up, blocks, manipulatives, puzzles (today it was fitting gourds into containers, twisting the lids on, then reversing the process) and drawing on the chalkboard.
9:30 a.m. Each child washed hands individually, experiencing one on one time with the teacher, and a few had diaper changes.  We sang different songs for each process, which reminded the children of what happens next and that washing hands and changing diapers follow a routine. Continue reading →

By Lynn Hess, Director

Priority Registration for next fall has begun!  Current preschool families (siblings are included in this!) and children of Grace Lutheran Church members have priority status through January 31st.

What does this mean if my child has priority status?

• Print a 2013/2014 Registration form off the website.
• Turn in your registration form and fee by the 31st and your child will be placed in a class before children who register without priority status.
• Registration forms are date stamped as they are received.  The sooner you turn in your form, the better chance you have of getting the class assignment you want.
• You only have priority status through January 31st.  After that date, your child’s registration form will be processed along with all other forms received. Continue reading →

By Lynn Hess, Director

January is the midpoint of our school year.  This is a time of reflection, looking back on the first half of the year and making plans for Winter and Spring months.  One of my favorite annual events at The School of Grace is our Annual Friendship Feast, which is celebrated twice during the week of Thanksgiving. 

Here is a summary of the Feast in November, 2012:

First, the meal was enjoyed by the children who attend school on Mondays in the Turtle Class, along with their families.

Second, the feast was celebrated on Tuesday by all of the other children in the school and their families. Continue reading →