History & Philosophy
History
Good Shepherd Preschool,
sponsored by the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, was established in 1973 to
answer an expressed need for a preschool in the Mt. Mansfield area.
The preschool is accredited by the (NAEYC). It is a non-profit
institution dependent upon tuition; its programs are open to all children,
regardless of race, religion or sex.
NAEYC Accredited
Our program is proud to
have earned NAEYC Accreditation - the mark of quality for early childhood
education programs. The National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC) created its accreditation program in 1985 to set
professional standards for early childhood education and to help families
identify high-quality child care and early educations programs. To earn
NAEYC's accreditation, a program conducts a self-study to determine how
well it meets the standards. The program is observed by independent,
professional validators and then reviewed by a national panel who
determines whether the program is awarded accreditation. Standards are
continuously reviewed by NAEYC and programs report annually and make
changes to keep up with the current standards. Our curriculum is consistent
with the guidelines of the NAEYC. Children learn through structured play
and activities which are designed to encourage their physical, social and
emotional and cognitive development. Our low teacher to child ratio also
fosters a sense of competence and initiative in children. Please visit
their website for valuable additional information @ http://www.naeyc.org.
<top>
Philosophy
Good Shepherd's programs
are designed to enhance the development of the whole child. Each
child's intellectual, social/emotional, creative, spiritual and physical
development is recognized and nurtured.
Values
We believe a preschool
program under the sponsorship of our congregation should reflect the
highest values and best of care. Our preschool programs reflect our
Christian faith in these ways:
- We affirm each child's worth. We recognize
and celebrate each one's unique joys and accomplishments. We
strive to provide a variety of challenges and experiences to help each
child develop a positive self-image and enthusiasm for learning.
We rejoice in the uniqueness of the developmental miracle of
each child: each one has different needs and rates of progress in all areas
of development. We support each child in becoming a joyful,
responsible, caring person.
- We recognize the importance of children
experiencing and practicing unconditional love, characterized by
forgiveness, protection, acceptance and support, through the caring
assistance and modeling of teachers and others.
- We plan opportunities and allow the time for
children to experience wonder and reverence.
<top>
Good Shepherd Preschool Staff
The Staff
Our teachers are highly
qualified, with strong backgrounds in early childhood education and child
development. The teacher-to-child ratio is exceptionally low (1:6T/Th
class and 1:8 M/W/F
class) because we greatly value the ability of our teachers to individualize
instruction to meet the needs of each child. Our two teachers work as
a team at Good Shepherd Preschool. Our
lead teacher/program director holds a bachelors' degree in education, while
our second teacher holds an associates degree in elementary education. Both
have completed a great deal of additional academic preparation in child
development/early childhood education. Professional development is
expected and supported by the school, assuring continuing education for our
staff.
<top>
|
