Sacred Heart proud of new preschool room
Preschool: Leanne Allison and Heather Stewart are the preschool teachers at Sacred Heart School, which featured a new room for its students this year. Beacon photo by Josie Sellers
COSHOCTON – Jerrett Allison and Avery Stewart can find plenty to do in their preschool classroom, even after school is over for the day.
The boys are the sons of teachers Leanne Allison and Heather Stewart who are very proud of their new preschool room at Sacred Heart School.
“We started in here in September and have been working on it all year,” Heather said. “The larger room gives us the ability to have different learning stations. We now have spots just for things such as art, blocks, playing, reading and academic time where we can all work in a group.”
Leanne also has enjoyed her new teaching space.
“It’s more open and defined, but we still managed to cut down on their running space,” she said. “The room also is near the bathrooms and the kitchen, which we can use for nutrition projects.”
The new and improved preschool room is located off the cafeteria of the school in what used to be two separate rooms.
“We knocked a wall down and used over $3,000 worth of grants to make us this space, which is just under 700 square feet,” Heather said. “It’s fantastic compared to what we used to have. When we added pre-kindergarten in addition to our preschool program, we just ran out of space.”
There are 15 children in the school’s morning program and 11 in its afternoon and the teachers are planning on having a nice-size group again next year. Thirteen students already are enrolled and if parents get their registration in by the end of the month, they do not have to pay a registration fee.
Leanne said one reason the preschool is a great choice for parents is because it’s part of a school and not a separate entity.
“When you get to the other grades, you will have smaller class sizes and a higher teacher to student ratio,” she said. “Some preschools also only require an associate’s degree or less, but we both have our bachelors.”
Leanne and Heather’s students also get the chance to interact with older students.
“Kindergarten visits us and we sometimes go to their classroom,” Leanne said. “They have fun with the bigger kids and its enjoyable to watch the younger ones mimic them.”
Heather also said the transition to kindergarten is easier for their students.
“They already know the building and the teachers,” she said.
Parents interested in sending their children to Sacred Heart’s preschool are welcome to call the school office at 622-3728 for information or to schedule a time to visit the classroom.
“The room is very teacher and kid friendly,” Heather said.
Parents also can attend an open house from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, where they can enjoy refreshments, play at the different classroom stations with their children and pick up information packets.
Jerrett and Avery would highly recommend trying the puzzles and doing some coloring.
“You will get to come here to learn and play with friends,” Jerrett said.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Education
