Frequently Asked Questions
- How old does my child need to be to go to St. Bart’s Preschool?
- Does my child have to be potty-trained?
- What are your school’s hours?
- How many days a week can my child come to school?
- When does the school year start?
- What is your ratio of adults to children?
- What qualifications do your teachers have?
- What kind of curriculum do you have?
- Do you provide any religious training?
- Do you have snack time?
- What is Lunch Bunch?
- Can I come for a tour of the school?
- What do I do if I want to enroll my child now?
- What do I do if I want to register my child for the next school year in the fall?
- How much does it cost to go to St. Bart’s?
- Can I volunteer in my child’s classroom?
- What special events do you have throughout the year?
- How do I get to St. Bart’s?
- How can I get in touch with you?
1. How old does my child have to be to go to St. Bart’s Preschool?
We follow the state guidelines as to age. Your child should be at least three by midnight on December 2nd of the year in which they are starting. However, if your child misses the cutoff date by a few days, please call us. We sometimes make exceptions if we have openings in an appropriate class.
2. Does my child have to be potty-trained?
Yes, your child must be potty-trained to be enrolled at St. Bart’s.
3. What are your school’s hours?
All of our classes run from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Children may stay until 1:00 p.m. if they are signed up for Lunch Bunch that day.
4. How many days a week can my child come to school?
For three-year-olds, we have classes that meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For three-year-olds born before July 1 of their birth year, we also have a class that meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
For four-year-olds, classes meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Our pre-K classes (four and five-year-olds), meet Monday through Thursday.
5. When does the school year begin and end?
Our school year begins on the Tuesday after Labor Day and runs through the middle of June. Please see Calendar/Events for more details.
6. What is your ratio of students to adults?
Our maximum class size is 12 students. Each class has a qualified teacher and an adult aide so our ratio for a full class is one adult to six children.
7. What qualifications do your teachers have?
Our teachers meet the requirements set forth by the state of California which include strict educational and health requirements. Each teacher and aide undergoes an extensive background check. In addition, we require each teacher to be certified in CPR and first aid techniques. One of our most important requirements for teachers and aides is that they have a child-friendly personality, one that both children and parents love.
8. What kind of curriculum do you provide?
We provide a good balance between developmental and academic programs. We believe in learning through play but our play has an important purpose. We provide a curriculum and an environment that help our students be socially and academically ready for kindergarten.
Each teacher prepares her own lesson plans based on our shared goals for our students. This allows each teacher to base lessons on the interests of her students. Depending on their ages, children will be exposed to letter and number recognition, print awareness, phonological awareness, pre- reading and pre-math skills, and pre-writing skills. Our goal is that our students be familiar with these basic concepts and be ready to learn the curriculum offered in kindergarten.
9. Do you provide any religious training?
Our students attend Chapel in our sanctuary once each week for about 25 minutes. The lessons are child-friendly and age-appropriate, as well as non-denominational. Our director tells a Bible story each week and allows the children to participate in the story through the use of puppets and other visual aids, acting out the story, singing, dancing and finger plays. We believe that children learn best through play at Chapel, too.
10. Do you have snack time?
Yes, we have snack time for the children but parents provide the snacks. We do not provide snacks due to allergy problems and the preferences of individual children.
11. What is Lunch Bunch?
Lunch Bunch provides an option for your child to stay until 1:00 p.m. The cost is $10 per day. We ask that you sign up for Lunch Bunch at least 24 hours before you wish to use it. Your child will eat a lunch that you send and then will play either in a classroom, on the playground, or in the playroom until you pick him or her up at 1:00 p.m. If your child is enrolled in an enrichment program (see “Programs”), he or she will eat lunch with all the children before going to the enrichment program.
12. Can I come for a tour of the school?
Yes, we urge you to bring your child and come to see our school. Please call ahead so that we can schedule your tour at the most advantageous time for you, i.e., when your child’s age group is in class, etc.
15. How much does St. Bart’s Preschool cost?
Our tuition for the 2008-2009 school year is shown below:
Program
3-year-olds
3/4-year-olds
4-year-olds
Pre-K
Days
Tues/Thurs
Mon/Wed/Fri
Mon/Wed/Fri
Mon-Thurs
Monthly Tuition
$185
$245
$245
$300
There is a non-refundable registration/supply fee of $210. $100 of the fee will be applied toward your child’s September tuition.
Discounts: If you have more than one student enrolled at St. Bart’s, the registration fee will be $185 for each additional student and there will be a 10% discount for each additional student’s tuition. We also offer a 10% discount on tuition for pledging members of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church.
The Lunch Bunch fee is $10 per day.
The cost of enrichment programs varies. You will be advised of the cost in the notice that gives you information about the class.
16. Can I volunteer in my child’s classroom?
Yes. However, you must have had a negative TB test within the last four years.
17. Do you have any special programs or events that I should know about?
The following are some of the special programs/events that we offer.
Chapel: The children participate in chapel once a week which involves the telling of a Bible story, singing, acting, etc. Chapel takes place in the sanctuary and lasts for about 20-25 minutes.
Music: The children go to a music class once a week in addition to the music they have daily in their own classrooms. The teacher is a retired kindergarten teacher who is also a parishioner at St. Bart’s. She sings, reads stories, plays the piano and involves the children in the songs and stories through games, finger plays, acting and creative movement.
Donuts With Dad: Dads come to school for 45 minutes and participate in class with their children.
Muffins With Mom: Moms come to school for 45 minutes and have a chance to socialize with other moms, eat breakfast, and be entertained by their children.
Christmas Pageant and Party
Field Trips: The four and five-year-olds go on one or more field trips with their parents during the year.
Enrichment Programs: We offer a variety of enrichment programs which take place during Lunch Bunch. Some of our programs include gymnastics, other sports, music, art, creative movement, science, and literature.
Special Dress Days: The children and staff enjoy Pajama Day, Crazy Hair Day, and Crazy Hat Day.
Summer School: We offer several week-long theme camps during the summer as well as a kindergarten readiness class offered the week before school starts in the Poway Unified School District.
18. How do I get to St. Bart’s Preschool?
St. Bart’s Preschool is located on the campus of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, located at 16275 Pomerado Road in Poway. Click on Map.
If you are coming from the north, take I-15 south and exit on Rancho Bernardo Road. Turn left on Rancho Bernardo Road and go for a mile and a half to Pomerado Road. Turn right on Pomerado Road and go for about a mile. You will see the church on your left.
If you are coming from the south, take I-15 north and exit on Camino Del Norte. Turn right and go about a mile and a half to Pomerado Road. Turn left and go another mile and a half, past the traffic light at Stone Canyon Road. You will see St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church on your right.
Turn into the parking lot. The Education Building, Building D, is behind the church.
19. How can I get in touch with you?
You may call us at (858) 487-2140 or e-mail us. Click on Contact Us.
