PPCC FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is your mission statement and educational philosophy?

Mission Statement

Peace Presbyterian Children's Center (PPCC) seeks to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to preschool-aged children while encouraging their mental, physical, spiritual, and social development.

By providing a caring and nurturing place, we seek to proclaim God's Word and aid in the spiritual development of children. We always want the children to feel safe, secure and special. Because we believe young children learn best through play, we will encourage lots of learning centers and child-oriented activities. Parents get to ride along as children discover that God exists and that He offers them a widening world of discovery. Our mission also involves encouraging the children to be physically active, develop pre-reading and pre-math skills, enjoy art and music, express their God-given creativity, and be ready for kindergarten. We teach them to handle themselves in social situations, and we encourage habits of hygiene and safety. Most importantly, we help them to know that they are loved by our Lord and Savior. See more about our mission statement in the parent handbook.

Educational Philosophy

Peace Presbyterian Children's Center provides a program in which the Christian faith is taught and shared by children and teachers, and it is consistent with the highest standards of early childhood education. Extensive details are given in the parent handbook covering art, motor development, language and listening skills, dramatic play, math skills, social skills, social studies, health and safety, and religious concepts. Please read it for a thorough view of our educational philosophy.

How do you address Christian education?

At PPCC we encourage conversations about God in every subject area. Preschoolers are able to grasp very basic concepts about God. We want them to realize that "God is." That is, that God exists. Further, we teach them that Jesus is God's Son, that He loves us very much, and that He forgives us when we have repentant hearts. In Luke 2:52, the Bible says that as a young man, "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." That is also our desire for the children of PPCC. Further details about our religious concepts are included in the parent handbook.

Do you have chapel?

In keeping with our desire to talk about God in all of our conversations, we do not hold chapel as a separate weekly event.

What is your curriculum?

The teachers of PPCC incorporate developmentally appropriate curriculum into everything that they do. We believe that children learn best through play, so opportunities to play outside and in developmentally appropriate learning centers are a large part of our day. The children also learn to function in a classroom setting by sitting for circle time, enjoying music and movement together, and eating snacks "family style" at a table where there are conversations, a small group activity, and where manners are discussed. Teachers focus on a theme each month, which informs the art opportunities, music and books presented to the class.

What themes will my child be exposed to during the year?

The lead teacher in each class is responsible for planning her classes and submitting lesson plans to the director. These themes largely center around God's creativity in the world around us and the changing seasons. Included are the plants and animals found during each season, bears and the forest, farm life and planting time, the garden and insects, our families and homes, astronauts and space, our five senses, transportation, how to be a friend, and community helpers. The teachers use a wide variety of activities to teach about these themes, such as puppets, songs, books, art, cooking, and special learning centers.

How do you celebrate the holidays?

PPCC does not have a holiday-centric curriculum, celebrating a different holiday each month. Rather, we celebrate those holidays that are in keeping with our desire to glorify God in everything we do. At Thanksgiving, we talk about being thankful to God for all we have; at Christmas, we focus on Jesus as the Savior of the world, not just as a baby; at Easter, we celebrate Jesus as the giver of life to everyone who will believe in Him. Each of these holidays is celebrated in the classrooms as well as with a school-wide fellowship luncheon. Valentine's Day presents an opportunity to talk about God's love for us, but we do not exchange valentines, and most other holidays of the year are not celebrated.

What are your classrooms like?

In our two, three, and four-year-old settings, each class enjoys two adjoining rooms. Various learning centers are set up in each room, so the children can go back and forth between the rooms when playing in the centers. Our Mother's Morning Out class and transition class each enjoy one large classroom. In addition, a separate room may be used for music, and on rainy days, we utilize our fellowship hall for the activities we normally do outside.

Do you have pets in the classrooms?

Yes. With the exception of our Mother's Morning Out program, every class has the opportunity to care for two different kinds of pets. Choices include guinea pigs, fish, hedgehogs, degus, finches, or a rabbit. We take into consideration any allergies to pets that the children might have and make adjustments as needed.

Do your classrooms have computers?

Our classrooms do not have computers. We feel that the children are so busy working on our other learning objectives that we do not have time to incorporate computers. With computers readily available in homes and elementary schools, we feel that there are other foundational skills that we should be working on at PPCC.

Will my child always be in a large group, or do you have small groups?

Each class is divided into small groups of six to eight children, which we call primary care groups (PCGs). Each group is led by the same teacher all year long. This allows the teacher assigned to the group to get to know the children more personally, and she participates in your child's parent/teacher conference, along with the lead teacher. PCGs eat snack together "family style" each day and do one other activity together.

May I tour the facility?

Yes! Every parent should tour our school, or any school, before making a decision. Please call ahead, so we can allot plenty of time to give you the tour and answer your questions.

How will you get to know my child?

As part of the enrollment process, you will fill out a Child Inventory, giving us your expectations, your child's likes and dislikes, medical history, allergies, personality traits, and anything else you would like us to know. Then, at the beginning of each school year, the children begin school on a "staggered start" schedule. Under this schedule, your child will come to school for his or her first few days in small groups and for abbreviated class times. This allows us to get to know your child more personally than starting the whole class at one time. After a week or so (a little longer for younger children), the entire class will come to school on a regular schedule. Also, as a routine part of every school day, your child will interact with his or her primary care group at snack time and for one other activity. The learning process continues throughout the year, and it is fun to see the children grow and blossom.

What will a typical day be like for my child?

Each day at PPCC includes learning through play! The children have ample opportunity to play in learning centers and with table top manipulatives. During circle time, the children learn to sit and listen to books or songs and participate in the group. This is usually a teaching time centered around the current theme. There are two opportunities to play outside, one on the playground and the other on the courtyard. (We use the courtyard for tricycles and other riding toys.) There are times devoted specifically to music and a snack around the table. There is also a cooking project each week. See the parent handbook for a specific schedule of the day for each class.

How do you handle my child's allergies?

Every year, we have several children with mild to severe allergies. We take the time to learn about each child's specific allergies and how to respond to an allergic reaction.

Does my child have to be toilet trained?

No. We will work with you as you toilet train your child. We change diapers every day in the younger classes, and by three years old, most of the children are toilet trained. However, if you are still working on this past the 3rd birthday, please let us know. We realize that all children learn at their own pace, and as long as you are being proactive, it should not be a source of anxiety for you or your child.

Will my child go on field trips?

Each class at the three-year-old level and above will go on two to three field trips each year. We appreciate your participation in field trips to transport and help chaperone the class. The two-year-olds are included in special programs on campus, which we call "in-house field trips." These include programs such as educational animal shows, a visit by the local police and fire departments, and an illusionist.

How can my family be involved at PPCC?

We seek to make PPCC a family environment where you are involved in your child's learning. With advanced notice, you are welcome to visit the classroom any time after the first month of school. We use parents as substitute teachers on occasion and need your participation in field trips. There are volunteer opportunities at our school-wide covered dish meals and in our Scholastic book program. A monthly newsletter will keep you informed of current events and volunteer opportunities. For those parents who choose to interact with the children, we ask you to fill out a brief screening form as part of our child protection policy.

How do I register my child?

Registration for the new school year is held in January of the year that your child will start school. Please see our registration page for the details of the classes offered, as well as tuition and fees.