Pre-School article by Rob Morgan (parishioner)

Why our Investment in the St. Aloysius

Pre-School Program is so Important

By Rob Morgan

Suzanne and I have been members of St. Aloysius Parish since moving to Pottstown in 1976. When we received our Capital Campaign brochure for the new addition to our church, we of course were impressed with the attractive gathering area and the desperately needed handicap access for the church. However, upon further study of the brochure, we discovered that almost 50% of the project included plans for a Pre-School program to complement our Parish School, which is widely recognized in the region as an outstanding Catholic School facility. Largely because of this, we were immediately sold on the project. We filled out our 3-year pledge card for as much as we could afford.

But I have to admit that I have an advantage that some parishioners may not have, in knowing what a Pre-School program entails for our children at St Al’s, and how exciting it will be for our Parish. Many parishioners know that I have been involved with public education for several years in Pottstown. During my years of involvement, I have become a strong advocate for early childhood education and quality Pre-K (Pre-School) programs. There have been several studies done that demonstrate the advantages of early childhood education for both students and the community. At no time in a child’s life are children more ready to learn than the period of life between birth and five years of age when a child’s brain is like a sponge soaking up knowledge and skills at a phenomenal rate. Between the ages of two and five, children are constantly absorbing cognitive relationships that combine the concepts of language, numbers, social skills, art, music, and so much more. The concepts learned at these early ages not only affect a child’s sense of self, sense of morality and sociability, but they develop a basis on which to build a child’s further education. With positive guidance at this age, a child is much more apt to do well all through school, and then go on to become a successful contributing member of their community. This is why many states and communities across the country have invested in quality Pre-K programs that feed into their education system.

Because of my interest in early childhood education, I recently sat down with Sister Wanda, the principal of our school, and Father Benn, to find out more about the new program that is planned for our Parish. I’d like to share with other parishioners the answers to just some of the questions I had the opportunity to ask during those interviews.

First, what exactly is the Pre-School Program as it is planned for St Al’s?

Well, it’s not at all like a day-care program where children can go to be watched over while their parents are at work. Our Pre-School program will be a comprehensive, quality and professional program designed to help our young children (ages 3 and 4) make a seamless transition to our full day Catholic school kindergarten. It will be a program that will support the training efforts of parents at home with respect to language skills, academic skills, social skills and religious education. We conceive that the program will initially be held in half day sessions, so that when we are up and running with full thrust we will be able to have two morning classes and two afternoon classes of not more than 20 students each.

How will the curriculum be developed and who will teach the classes?

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia provides the general curriculum for all grade levels including kindergarten and Pre-K. [My note: The full curriculum outline for the Pre-K program can be seen on the Archdiocese web site. It is impressive and well worth a look.] At the parish level we closely follow the established curriculum, but do have some freedom to diversify where appropriate. Because of this, children who attend Pre-School classes at our school will be able to transition into the kindergarten program at any Catholic school in the diocese should the family move. The same, of course, applies at all grade levels. We hope to staff each Pre-School classroom with a professional teacher who has acquired at least a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, as well as at least one aid per classroom – possibly two if the cost allows, and as the program grows.

The curriculum is comprehensive. Our Pre-School children will be learning age-appropriate skills in mathematics, integrated language arts, social skills, science, music and art, and of course religion. The students will gain an appreciation for themselves as a special individual, and also as a part of a family, a church community, and a larger social community. The goals of the program are to set the foundation for all children, while their minds are so hungry and ready to learn, to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to take full advantage of the education they will receive as they enter kindergarten and first grade. This program will establish skills at an early age to help our children do better in school, become life-long learners, and grow into successful, loving adults with a strong sense of responsibility and stewardship toward their church and their community. We will also work to plant the seeds of faith at a time when young minds are so fertile. That will hopefully give our children the foundation they need to grow in faith their whole lives.

Over 80% of Parish elementary schools in the Archdiocese already have an established Pre-K program, so we are excited to finally be realizing this goal at St. Aloysius. Mostly due to economic reasons, our school enrollment has been declining in the past few years. At one time, not so long ago, we provided education for around 500 children. During the 2005-2006 school year our enrollment was 410. This year it stands at only 330. We still have the capacity for just over 500 students. The more students, we enroll, the more cost efficient our school is, the more programs we can offer for our students, and the less our school must rely on Parish funds. We are hopeful that by offering a quality Pre-K program, parents who take advantage of the program will find it convenient to keep their children enrolled in our school and boost our enrollment numbers. That would offer many advantages for both our school and our Parish.

I hope you this article was helpful in understanding the importance of this exciting new program that St. Aloysius is undertaking and that you found the information interesting and informative. If you agree with Suzanne and I that the Pre-School class rooms in the new Greeting Center are worth supporting, and you have not already sent in your 3-year pledge card, look for a new card in the mail, grab one off the web site at www.saintaloysius.net/capital2008.cfm or call the Parish office at 610-326-5877.