About Our School

All classes include free play, art and learning activities, circle time with songs, stories and creative movement, snack, and physical education.

We use the PA Early Learning Standards as our guideline for the content of our curriculum.  The curriculum focuses on learning basic concepts and skills through hands-on experiences and activities. Through our program, each child is given the tools needed to encourage the growth of the whole child.  The goal of the school is to emphasize concrete experiential learning and to achieve the following goals:

Social/Emotional -- to help children develop independence, self confidence and self-control, follow rules and routines, respect authority, make friends, and learn what it means to be a part of a group.

Cognitive -- to acquire thinking skills such as the ability to solve problems, to ask questions, and to think logically-sorting, classifying, comparing, counting, and making patterns-and to use materials and their imagination to show what they have learned.

Language -- to use words to communicate with others, listen to and participate in conversations with others, understand the purpose of print, recognize letters and words.

Math Concepts -- to introduce activities that include concepts of counting, comparing, classification, identifying shapes and numbers, seriation, sets, patterns, quantity, length, weight and simple graphs.

Gross Motor -- to increase children’s large muscle skills – balancing, running, jumping, throwing and catching.

Fine Motor -- to use the small muscles in their hands to do tasks like buttoning, stringing beads, cutting, drawing, and writing.  From the handling of simple tools to completing pegboards, children are continually offered opportunities to develop their smaller muscles, an important prerequisite writing. 

Science -- to help the children learn how to question – how to be thinkers. Hands-on activities  include using simple machines and sensory table play.  The sensory table encourages children in tactile experiences through creative play using sand, water, beans, rice and other materials.

Health and Safety -- to encourage and demonstrate sound health, safety and nutritional practices.

Music -- to participate in musical activities including song, dance, instrumental, movement, games, and self-expression; be exposed to and gain an appreciation for various types of music.

Art -- to offer open-ended process art experiences that demonstrate creative self-expression.  Experience various media in a multitude of ways; and to participate in multi-sensory art experiences.

Social Studies -- to learn about the “world around us” is the focus of this curriculum area.  Field trips and studies of occupations are included. 

Spiritual Growth -- to understand God’s unconditional love for each of us; to understand and respect the earth as God’s creation; to learn to thank and talk to God through prayer.  The Children's Ministries Director comes in once a month to lead Sacred Circle with the children which includes a bible story and songs.

Dramatic Play -- to use their imaginations to understand and experience the adult world through imitation; to develop creativity and imagination; to experience different roles.

Parents are asked to provide a snack for their child each session.  The Preschool will provide water for the children.

Formal conferences are held in November and again in the spring.

A Christmas Program, Cookies and Milk with Santa, Dad and Me Night, a breakfast for Mothers and a Closing Program are scheduled.

Asbury will observe the major holidays and weather related closings of the Parkland School District.  Parkland cancels classes due to bad weather, Asbury will also cancel.  If Parkland schools open two hours late, Asbury’s morning classes will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. In the event the Parkland schools close at midday or announce an earlier than usual afternoon dismissal due to weather conditions, afternoon activities at Asbury will be cancelled.

Children should arrive promptly at 9:00 a.m. at the classroom door. They should be picked up promptly at 12:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. (if attending the afternoon class, Stay 'n Play or STEAM) by a parent or other designated person the child knows.

Asbury UMC functions as a shared facility.  As such, we strive to maintain the safety of all Preschool children and their families, as well as our own staff, volunteers, vendors, and other guests.  Therefore, Asbury employs the use of a centralized and monitored system of security cameras and related accessories/devices.  The main doors are open at arrival and dismissal times and are locked during the day.  The doors to the building are programmed to lock/unlock at designated times.  If the doors are locked upon your arrival, parents are to first ring the Preschool buzzer for admittance.  All visitors (therapists, special guests, volunteers, vendors, etc.) will be asked to check in with the Church Office before proceeding to the classroom or any other area of the church.  A Visitor’s Badge will be assigned and must always be worn.  The teachers are not authorized to open the door.  

Children should be suitably dressed for the weather in casual clothes.

Children should stay home if there is any observable illness. Children should remain home 24 hours after a fever. 

Asbury Preschool requires a Child Health Assessment form with proof of current immunizations to be completed by a physician and submitted by September 30.