Faith Lutheran Preschool celebrating 30th anniversary
7/12/2012 - West Side Leader
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| Faith Lutheran Church Preschool Director Wendy Boes is pictured above with her son Charlie at the school’s annual Christmas program. |
| Photo courtesy of Wendy Boes |
The event is free and will include Tom Phoolery’s Safari Magic Show, Leo Boes’ Leo’s Ark “petting zoo,” a giant bounce around and toddler play areas, as well as snacks.
To promote the event, preschool representatives will buy tickets for the first 30 preschoolers entering the Akron Zoo July 19.
Families who register for preschool during the Family Fun Night will receive half off the registration fee, according to preschool officials.
In addition to family fun, the event will offer information about and tours of the preschool.
According to Faith Lutheran Church Preschool Director Wendy Boes, the preschool started in September 1983 with one class of 14 children. Boes came on board as director and head teacher in the fall of 1993.
“Over the past 20 years, we have added eight classes and grown to more than 140 students,” she said. “Currently we have leveled off to a middle ground and are perfectly content to be a bit smaller and have a real family feel to our program.”
Boes said Faith Lutheran Preschool “educates children in a way that is not only age and developmentally appropriate, but is also fun and free of stress for our children.”
She added that while some parents ask about 3-year-olds learning sight words, she believes preschool is not a time for skill drills, worksheets or rote memorization.
“It is a time to develop an absolute love of learning, a feeling of acceptance and a sense that anything is possible,” said Boes. “Our older students (those moving on to kindergarten) do leave Faith knowing their letters and most letter sounds, ready to begin reading.”
Boes added efforts to teach religion to students include visiting the sanctuary with church pastors, learning age-appropriate Bible stories and songs and learning that prayer is a form of talking to God.
“The bigger element is teaching the love of God and the grace of Jesus,” said Boes.
Boes also said that annual preschool service projects have helped more than 75 local families in need during the Christmas holiday, raised more than $8,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and helped the Hannah’s Hope orphanage in Guatemala.
One new direction for Faith Lutheran Preschool is that it has partnered with Galvin Therapy Center and Jim Potantus to add a self-contained preschool classroom for children with mid-to-high-functioning autism, according to Boes.
“We are working to provide a one-of-a-kind program for parents where their child can not only have an incredible classroom experience with qualified teachers, but also daily time spent with therapists on-site,” said Boes.
Faith Preschool also offers a Kids Club for preschoolers on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 3:30 p.m., which is open to the public on an as-needed basis.
Boes added that through all the changes at Faith Preschool, one thing has remained constant.
“We love the children that walk through our doors and are committed to instilling a sense of self-confidence, respect for all, a true love for and excitement about learning, and to grow a love of God,” said Boes.
For more information about the preschool, visit www.faithlutheranchurch.org or contact Boes at 330-836-8827.
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