Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church Weekday School, Alexandria

Welcome to Mount Vernon Weekday School, located in Alexandria, VA. We understand that making the right preschool choice can be a real challenge and we're here to help you through this process. Our mission is to provide you with a quality preschool experience and peace of mind while offering your child a safe, loving, stress-free and educationally-rich environment. Our children are our future: let us help them grow through: Leadership Communication Critical Thinking Problem Solving Creativity Values and Ethics Empathy Citizenship Our Program Goals: To provide experiences which enhance each child’s social, physical, intellectual, emotional and creative growth. To offer a curriculum that is child-centered, open-ended, process oriented, and play-based. To create opportunities for exploration and experimentation. To help children understand their feelings and the feelings of others. To allow children choices and decision-making opportunities. To develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. To promote acceptance of diversity. To promote self-esteem, confidence, individuality, positive self-image, autonomy, and success. These goals are incorporated into the daily lesson plans through developmentally appropriate practices. All children are encouraged to progress at their own pace and according to individual needs and abilities. Our philosophy on caring for children Our curriculum encompasses methods prescribed by various teaching models such as Piaget, High Reach, High/Scope and Montessori. We incorporate what we feel are the best aspects of each model into our program; as they fit our philosophy of child development and early childhood education. Our school also follows guidelines set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Their standards require teachers to employ developmentally and age appropriate practices with each child. Although academics are extremely important, we believe that young children do not truly learn through a rote approach, employing techniques such as worksheets and drill skills. We believe that real learning happens when young children are taught an emphasis on process instead of product. In essence, we believe that children learn best through play. Each teacher facilitates learning through interesting and engaging planned activities. Children enjoy their "play" while they are meeting goals set for them. Teachers are sensitive to needed changes in curriculum, based on the needs and interests of the children. At MVWS, our goal is to equip children with the tools they will need to become successful students, such as critical thinking, problem solving, conflict resolution, life skills and social cognition; as well as a values system based on respect. Our curriculum encompasses methods prescribed by various teaching models such as Piaget, High Reach, High/Scope and Montessori. We incorporate what we feel are the best aspects of each model into our program; as they fit our philosophy of child development and early childhood education. Our school also follows guidelines set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Their standards require teachers to employ developmentally and age appropriate practices with each child. Although academics are extremely important, Mount Vernon Weekday School believes that young children do not really learn through a rote approach, employing techniques such as worksheets and drill skills. We believe that real learning happens when young children are taught an emphasis on process instead of product. In essence, we believe that children learn best through play. Each teacher facilitates learning through interesting and engaging planned activities. The children enjoy their "play" while they are meeting goals that are set forth for them. Teachers are flexible and sensitive to needed changes in curriculum, based on the needs and interests of the children. At MVWS, our goal is to equip children with the tools they will need to become successful students. These tools must include critical thinking, problem solving, conflict resolution, life skills and social cognition; as well as a values system based on respect.