Our History
As a "stay-at-home mom" and "working dad" with a
3-year old daughter, the options available to the Myers' family for
preschool were quite limited. Like most parents, all they wanted for
their daughter was to better prepare her for the skills necessary to
successfully enter K-12. After searching for several months the couple
finally enrolled their daughter in a church-based preschool close to their
home. They looked past the church affiliation with hopes of having
their daughter excel in a classroom environment. To their dismay, they found the preschool offered little more
than a social atmosphere in which the children were looked after much like
a daycare.
At the end of their daughter's first year of preschool the
couple looked for other available options. Expensive private
academies hundreds of miles away and other local faith-based curriculums were
all that they could find. The more they looked, the more evident it
became to them that there was a real need for an academic based preschool
in their community.
It was then that they asked themselves the simple question,
"what's stopping us from creating one?"
Melissa's past
experience
in early childhood education provided the necessary skills and experience
a teacher needed to instruct young children
in a classroom environment. It was her experiences as a mother (and the aspirations for her daughter)
though that would, more than anything, help to
construct the base set of values, skills
and educational goals she hoped to instill in all potential students. Melissa contacted friends,
family and other dissatisfied parents about the idea of creating a new preschool. Everyone quickly agreed, committing to enrolling their children if it
could be done. The dream was realized and Melissa's
Private Preschool was finally born.
Utilizing their homes layout and the spaces previously used from Melissa's
private daycare center, the couple began an extensive remodel
which created a very unique solution to meet the growing demand for her
school. One third of the family's home was partitioned from the main
living space to create the preschool's classroom and the inviting atmosphere. The entire back yard was converted to a playground complete with multiple swings and an expansive jungle gym with various slides
and activities. A separate entrance to the classroom
was also added, further separating the preschool from the family's main
residence.
An advanced 39-week
curriculum focusing on reading, handwriting,
auditory and oral language skills was then purchased and prepared for
the future students. Supplemental worksheets, exercises and projects
involving the creative areas of art and music, science exploration and
social studies finalized the program.
VIRCO®
Preschool Furniture was then purchased to complete the classroom.
Age appropriate activity tables, desks, bookshelves and chairs from their
Colorful 4000 Series Primary Collection™
were chosen. Puzzles, books, games, activities, art supplies and
musical instruments then filled the shelves.
After months of tireless planning, hard work and perseverance, Melissa's
Private Preschool opened to the public in September, 2005.
Continuing To Grow
In the summer of 2006, Melissa's Private Preschool expanded its playground
area by adding an additional jungle gym, pouring a small basketball court
and then replacing the existing bark landscaping with a more
"kid-friendly" pea gravel.
In the fall of 2006, an "indoor play area" was created for use by the
children during the winter months when it became too cold outside for
recess. An existing structure was remodeled which had previously
stored the preschool's outdoor toys. The building was sheet-rocked,
textured, painted and then French doors were installed. An indoor
play structure (complete with a play kitchen and slide) was built and then
dollhouses and other fun toys filled the room.
Our Future Commitment
Our dedication will always guide us as we continue to expand, meeting the
growing needs of our students and parents alike. Plans for the
summer of 2008 will include additional sidewalks (from the existing
sidewalk to the entrance of the preschool), landscaping and
an additional computer workstation for the classroom.
Our Curriculums
