Washington St. United Methodist Church, Alexandria

Washington Street United Methodist Church Preschool's primary ministry is teaching God's unconditional love and acceptance, and learning to live lovingly. We provide a child-centered, nurturing environment that enables young children to develop to their fullest potential, socially, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and cognitively. Our Preschool was established in 1991 as a ministry of the Washington Street United Methodist Church and serves children two and a half to five years of age. The educational program reflects our philosophy of learning through play by using weekly themes to introduce and reinforce units of study. Using themes allows our teaching staff to convey subject matter in a concrete and creative manner to make your child's experience in school fun, interesting and growth providing. Monthly newsletters and lesson plans are distributed by classroom teachers to help you monitor your child's progress and joy of learning. A developmentally appropriate, hands-on program enables teachers to incorporate language experiences daily, allowing children to grow their vocabulary naturally. A balanced schedule is achieved through focused, quiet activities such as circle time, table activities, and story time. Quiet activities are then followed by opportunities for exploration during art projects, water and sand table activities, block play, music and movement, science center activities, and dramatic play. Washington Street United Methodist Church Preschool accepts families of all racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. As a church sponsored program, Christian traditions are emphasized. However, our program also embraces and celebrates other cultural and religious tradition. By sharing customs, ideas, traditions, and meanings, we help promote understanding and acceptance. Washington Street UMC Preschool is program operated as a ministry of the Washington Street United Methodist Church. It operates under the supervision of the Preschool Board which is made up of church members, parent and teacher representatives, the Director of the Preschool, and the WSUMC Pastor. The Preschool Board makes policies, sets tuition and fees, and oversees the curriculum for the preschool. Our central message is one of God's unconditional love. We believe that each person is a child of God. Our ministry involves helping children to learn to live lovingly. Each child at our preschool will have every opportunity to develop socially, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and intellectually to his or her fullest potential. To support spiritual growth, the Preschool holds Chapel on a monthly basis led by the Preschool Director. Chapel consists of age appropriate stories, songs, and prayer. As children play with each other - They learn to see other children's point of view and begin to become empathetic and caring. - They learn to use language in new ways to describe their play, express their needs and wants, and to interact with others. - They develop their muscles, balance, stamina and coordination. Special attention is given to each child's abilities and interests, using his or her strengths to foster development in all areas. Through art, music, drama, and play, children enrolled in our program are encouraged to expand their imagination, develop confidence in their abilities, and build a strong self-image.