Good Shepherd Lutheran PreSchool
Preschool in Gaithersburg, MD 20877
As early childhood educators, our goal is to instill children with a love of learning and a curiosity about the natural world surrounding them. During their tenure at Good Shepherd Lutheran Preschool, students will learn to problem solve and to explore multiple solutions to a problem. They will demonstrate behavior consistent with good citizenship, respecting and caring for one another as children of God. By providing a learning environment allowing children to explore at their individual rates, we will facilitate the unique needs of each child. Through assessments, we will analyze each childs progress; and through intentional teaching, we will focus on areas where the child needs to grow. Through caring relationships, we will foster trust, communication and creativity. The whole child the body, the mind and the spirit will be guided through developmentally appropriate activities that reinforce these goals and that provide each student the necessary tools for future learning.
Families are childrens first teachers. Teachers partner with parents to build on these early experiences in the areas of personal and emotional development, language and literacy, mathematical and scientific thinking, social studies, the arts and spiritual development. Research confirms that professional development is a strong component of a quality program. As such, staff members receive professional development training annually to maintain the MSDE Childcare Credential and to stay abreast of current changes and research in the field.
- Child Ages:
- 2 years - 5 years
- Rates:
- $
- Licenses & Accreditations:
- Maryland State Department of Education Division of Early Childhood Development - MSDE Accredited
- Preschool:
- Yes
- Hours of Operation:
- Monday-Thursday, 9:30am-3:00pm and Friday, 9:30am-1:30pm
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Children learn through play and exploration. Good Shepherd Preschool is committed to gently guiding its students education during the early years by following developmentally appropriate practices in all areas of the curriculum.
In developing relevant lesson plans, teachers implement curriculum which covers all areas of the developing child social and emotional development, cognitive development, physical development, and language development. Teachers assess the strengths and needs of each child. Class activities are designed to enhance these strengths and to provide experiences in areas needing reinforcement.
The Maryland State Department of Education recommends that all preschool programs utilize a research based curriculum that aligns with both the new, more demanding national standards and the Maryland Voluntary Curriculum. In July 2008, the Maryland State Department of Education published a list of recommended curriculums which address all areas of the developing child. Good Shepherd Preschool uses two of the recommended curriculum. In specific:
- The Creative Curriculum is used in Good Shepherd Preschool’s Early Pre-Kindergarten classes. Because the Creative Curriculum includes material appropriate for preschool students at different stages of development, teachers can tailor the curriculum to meet the needs and abilities of individual classes.
- All Good Shepherd Pre-Kindergarten classes use the Montgomery County Pre-Kindergarten curriculum. Using this curriculum ensures that students who successfully complete a Good Shepherd Pre-Kindergarten class meet or exceed the entrance expectations for success in Kindergarten.
See individual Class Descriptions for a more detailed description of these curricula.
