Philosophy & Goals

The Community Preschool of the Palisades was founded in 1986, as part of the ministry of the Palisades Community Church. It originated as an outreach to families with young children, and its primary focus centers on the emotional, social, physical, intellectual and spiritual well-being and development of its students.

The Community Preschool is dedicated to providing high quality education for our children, in a caring environment. We value the child as a whole person and seek to promote all aspects of his or her growth. We feel that preschoolers learn most through play and interaction with their peers and teachers. The teachers encourage their natural curiosity and creativity in a play setting.

The following examples of activities help us reach our goals through creative play:

• Free Play – having choices and cooperating with others by sharing, taking turns, compromising and working independently.
• Creative Art – exploring ideas, colors, textures and methods through various media.
• Dramatic Play – using imagination, social interaction and trying on different roles.
• Music & Dance – singing, creative movement and introduction to simple instruments.
• Cooking Time – measuring, pouring, and stirring; exploring simple mathematical and scientific discoveries and healthy eating.
• Playground Time – climbing, jumping, digging, gardening and artistic expression.
• Language & Literacy Skills – sharing and creating stories and poems, playing with rhyme and rhythm, forming letters and sounds, and expressing feelings and ideas.
• Pre-Math Skills – counting and comparing, building and balancing, graphing, patterning and sequencing.
• Pre-Science Skills – predicting, experimenting, observing and concluding through various hands-on methods.
• Outside World – experiencing nature and life cycles, taking on responsibilities and caring for our environment, local and global community awareness and cultivating a respect for others.

We try to teach children in a caring and positive atmosphere with emphasis on establishing both a lasting positive self-image and social skills on the group level.

Sensory, motor, perceptual and language skills are integrated into the program through creative play and activities which are both teacher-directed and student-directed.