Prince of Peace 2024-2025 Preschool Program
At Prince of Peace Preschool, we believe that children learn best through play and hands-on exploration. We provide a fun, interesting and stimulating environment where children can investigate and explore using their tremendous curiosity while developing kindergarten readiness skills. Our students explore our outdoor nature playground and garden daily year-round. One of our primary goals is to develop a positive self-image in each child while practicing social, cognitive and language skills; affirming that he or she is a unique, special person. We utilize Creative Curriculum by Teaching Strategies to guide our learning with studies and activities that enable children to develop confidence, creativity, and life-long critical thinking skills. In addition, we utilize Learning Without Tears for pre-writing and incorporate a variety of music, process art, and gross/fine motor activities throughout the school day.
Our Schedule
STEPPING STONES: Students join our Stepping Stones class when they are 2 years 6 months. Enrollment is rolling. Students meet on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:00 am -12 noon. An optional 4th day is available on Thursdays. Though we prefer students to be fully toilet trained to maximize everyone’s learning time at POPPS, we will accept students close to independence and using pullups. Stepping Stones is a small nurturing program; class size is limited to 9.
Pre-K 3 PROGRAM: Students in our 3-year-old class (3 by September 30, 2023) meet on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:00 am – 12 noon. Students must be toilet-trained to attend this program. An optional 4th day on Thursday is available.
Pre-4 PROGRAM: Students in our 4-year-old class (4 by September 30, 2023) meet on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.
Lunch Bunch: Students may bring lunch from home or have it delivered and enjoy more time on the playground and enjoy eating lunch together on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm.
We also offer an extended day with 8:00 am drop off until 3:30 pm that will include more learning and exploration and a ½ hour rest time.
More details about our program:
- Our students spend their mornings in our ECERS-rated indoor classroom and go outside daily for 30 minutes (or more if possible!) to our outdoor classroom. Our outdoor classroom is located on our playground/garden, and is augmented with shade, activity centers, picnic tables for activities and a sprinkler or water tables to play in on hot days.
- Each class has an “outside day” during which they spend their mornings learning outdoors in our outdoor classroom. We are a rain, snow or shine program; check our gear list for suggestions so your child can thrive in this environment!
- Interest areas in both spaces are available that present activities that encourage creativity, critical thinking, program solving and kindergarten readiness. Children will rotate between free play/centers, small group activities and a large group circle time meeting with a daily story.
- Children will choose a book from our school library each week to read at home with their families.
Health and Safety
Prince of Peace Preschool is licensed to operate as a Childcare Center from the NJ Office of Children and Families (OFC). All regulations from the OFC and recommendations from the Board of Health will be followed and may change at any time due to community health issues and regulations and recommendations are updated.
At this time:
- Masks are optional at POPPS.
- We will utilize both our indoor and outdoor spaces in most types of weather. Students will be required to purchase a rain suit or raincoat/pants which will allow for comfortably playing outside in most types of weather.
- Students must be fully toilet trained and able to use the bathroom independently in our pre-k 3 and pre-k 4 classrooms. Students will be walked to the bathroom and will always be supervised. Families are encouraged to visit school before attendance so students can become familiar with facilities.
- Students will have their own bin and cubby to store their extra clothes, water bottle, and personal use materials that will be separate from other students’ belongings.
- We ask that you perform a daily health check before coming to school. More information is available in our parent handbook.
- Students wash upon entry to our program and frequently throughout the school day. We have an outdoor sink and hand sanitizer available on our playground.
- Each indoor classroom will have a room air filter with windows ajar to promote air circulation.
- As research and regulations are updated periodically, these measures may be updated as guidance from the OFC, CDC and the Bergen County Board of Health change.
Tuition
Yearly tuition is divided into 10 payments. The first payment is due at time of registration and is applied to June. The next payment is due September first, continuing through May 1. There is no payment in June when June’s payment is made in full at time of registration. Payment is via Bright wheel, the app we use for billing and communication. Payment can be made electronically through your back account or via credit card. More information will be included in your tuition agreement.
Current tuition rates are available on our application. There is a $100 non-refundable registration fee. One month’s tuition is due at the time of registration, which is refundable through August 1st.
There is an additional fee for music class & yoga. We estimate this to be a one-time fee of $100 (fee can be divided into two payments)
Please email the director, Helene Welsing at Helenewelsing@gmail.com or call the school phone at 201-965-3354 with any questions.
Thank you and we look forward to learning and exploring with you at POPPS!