First United Methodist  Preschool / MDO 

Preschool classes are offered 9:00-11:30am, (2 1/2 hour sessions), for children 3, 4 and 5 years old.  Students must be the age of the class in which they enroll by September 1.  The Preschool class curriculum is set up on monthly themes.  Preschool days can be lengthened by adding Extended Enrichment.  All Preschool teachers who work in the Preschool program have education degrees.

Rainbows 
(3 Years Old)
Rainbows class is the first opportunity for preschool in our program.  We take a maximum of 15 students with 2 teachers.  This class meets Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  The class consists of gross and fine motor free play, as well as two circle times, where stories and calendar activities take place.  Colors, shapes, numbers, and letters are worked on during circle, as well as social skills.  Sharing, taking turns, and treating others like you'd like to be treated are also a part of class time.  Socialization of the child is so important and begins at this age.  Imagination is vital to growth and development, and is included during the year's learning.

Sunbeams 
(4 Years Old)
Sunbeams class is structured to prepare a child to enter either public or private kindergarten.  It is also designed for families who value the small school environment instead of a larger or public school influence at this age.  We take a maximum of 18 students with 2 teachers.  This class meets Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.  Sunbeams class includes 30 minutes of both fine and gross motor skills free play.   The middle portion of each day contains academic activities:  large group circle time and learning centers.  Circle time is for calendar activities, introduction of the letter of the week and explanation of the learning centers.  The centers consist of language / letter learning, math / number recognition, fine motor development and art.  The class activities are set up on theme topics, and the learning centers are coordinated with these themes for each month.  Social skills are stressed as in earlier classes.  Sharing, taking turns, using good manners and treating others like you want to the treated are important aspects of this class.

SuperStars
(Must be 5 by December 31)
SuperStars class is for children who are 5 by September 1 or who turn 5 by December 31st. Children in this class may not be quite ready for Kindergarten and the "big school" experience.  The Superstar class give the child, who may need a year of growth, a place to move ahead academically, while in a smaller, safe environment.  This class meets Monday through Thursday mornings.  It is a step above the Sunbeams in academic curriculum and has a maximum of 16 students with 2 teachers.  This class includes 30 minutes of both fine and gross motor skills free play.  The middle protion of each day is structured teaching with large group circle time and learning centers.  The circle time is for calendaring activities, introduction of the letter of the week and explanation of the learning centers.  Centers consist of language/letter learning, math/numbers recognition, fine motor development and art.  Class activities are set up on theme topics and the learning centers coordinate with the theme of the month.  Social skills are continued from earlier classes.  Sharing, taking turns, using good manners and treating others like you want to be treated are important aspects of this class.