The Newark Methodist Preschool is an outreach program of the Newark United Methodist Church. Our school provides a developmentally appropriate learning environment for two-, three-, four-, and five-year-olds. Some important preschool goals are:

• To provide a warm, accepting and positive school atmosphere.
• To help children recognize their own special characteristics and abilities; self-esteem, self-control, and independence are encouraged in every aspect of our program.
• To provide appropriate and professional guidance from trained and loving teachers who plan carefully to meet each child's individual needs.
• To help each child handle and verbalize emotions in appropriate ways while respecting the child's right to feel anger, impatience, sadness, etc.
• To share with children the wonder and beauty of the world we live in.
• To offer a wide variety of activities and hands-on experiences.

Program (for our threes, fours, and pre-kindergarten)

Each room is divided into several areas:  blocks, manipulatives, science, books, dramatic play (which is changed often; it may be a grocery store, doctor's office, bakery, pizza parlor, camp site, etc...), sensory (sand, water, seeds, dirt and other textures to put hands into), and art activities (usually one or two at tables plus the easel daily).

The room activities and group times are planned to enhance all areas of a child's development - cognitive, language, sensory, physical, social, and emotional. Children ages three to five learn through play; hands-on experiences, role playing, trial and error, interaction with others - all lay the foundation for formal education.

Some of the areas we focus on through the year are numbers, colors, shapes, math concepts (sorting, matching, one-to-one correspondence, sequencing, etc.), the five senses, families and friends, nature, animals, weather, seasons, safety, occupations, holidays, and much more. These concepts are offered through stories, songs, finger plays, art activities, dramatic play, and other first hand experiences.

Social and emotional development is an important aspect of our preschool program. Participation in group activities, taking turns, sharing, taking responsibility for self, and interaction with teachers and peers are all important experiences provided for developing each child's self-esteem, independence, and school readiness. 

Enrollment / Registration

Two-Year-Olds' Program - Kids' Day Out - Our Kids' Day Out program for children turning two meets two days a week from 9:15-11:15 a.m. Two groups are offered: Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays. Twelve children per classroom with three teachers.

Three-Year-Olds' (Two-Day) Program - Preschool for children turning three meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00-11:30 a.m. Twelve children per classroom with two teachers. There are four classrooms of three-year-olds.

Four-Year-Olds' (Three-Day) Program - Preschool for children turning four meets Mon/Wed/Fri from 9:00-11:30 a.m. Fourteen children per classroom with two teachers. There are four classrooms of 4 yr. olds.

Pre-Kindergarten (Five-Day) Program - The preschool offers a classroom for children turning five. It meets Monday thru Friday 9:15 - 11:45 a.m. Five-day programs have a teacher/pupil ratio of no more than seven students per teacher with maximum class size of 16.

Early enrollment privileges for NUMC members - The preschool offers an early enrollment period for members of Newark United Methodist Church and former preschool families the last week of January. All openings not filled during this time are open to the community.

Classes begin the Tuesday (threes) or Wednesday (fours and Pre-K) after Labor Day week and end by Memorial Day weekend. We follow the Christiana School District calendar (in most cases) for holidays. Classes for the two-year-old program begin on the week after Labor Day.

We are adding an additional Pre-K class for the 2006-2007 school year!

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Certification / Affiliation

Newark Methodist Preschool has long been a member of the Nursery-Kindergarten Association of Delaware and is licensed by the State of Delaware. They recognize the professional goals of our philosophy, program, and staff.

Our school welcomes families of all races, religions, and cultures. The school is part of the Christian Education Department of Newark United Methodist Church, however, we strive to be inclusive and encourage families to share their own religious and cultural traditions.

We are Open and Welcoming to All

Parent Involvement

Several opportunities will be offered during the school year to acquaint parents with our program. In September there is an Orientation Night for parents to meet the teachers and see the classroom. The first day of school, a parent comes with each child to class. In the middle of the school year, teacher-parent conferences are scheduled. Room visits are encouraged and parents may share their time and talents throughout the year if they wish. There are two open houses during the year intended for the whole family.

Contacting Newark Methodist Preschool