Diocesan preschool programs teach children numbers, letters, and the love of God.
In the Arlington Diocese, there are about 2,200 preschool students in programs attached to parish elementary schools. In addition, there are the students who attend preschool at the four stand-alone programs that take place at churches, but aren't connected with specific schools.
These Catholic preschools help children prepare socially, emotionally and physically for elementary school, but they also prepare children spiritually for life, giving students early lessons in Christianity in hope that they will develop a solid foundation of faith to be built upon as they get older.
"In a time when the world is such a scary place, it's comforting for these kids to know there's a loving God," said Joanne McGlinchy, director of the preschool program at St. Charles Borromeo School in Arlington. "We are able to include all the traditional early childhood curricular methods and play activities, but we're also able to teach the children about a loving God."
"Just like learning their letters and numbers, they learn about Jesus, Mary and Joseph every day," said Elena Quartuccio, preschool director at St. Mary of Sorrows Church in Fairfax.
All of the preschools have to adhere to the Virginia Catholic Education Association guidelines and the diocesan curriculum, which is designed to be developmental - taking children from where they are, assessing their strengths and helping them improve their weaknesses.
At each preschool, there are different classes for 3- and 4-year-olds. The 3-year-old program teaches and reinforces potty training, self-help skills, hanging up coats and washing hands. As 4-year-olds, teachers work to ready the children for kindergarten.
"We want them to be happy where they are, how they are and who they are," McGlinchy said.
The programs focus on helping children develop the creative and physical skills they'll need later. Students do art projects, practice their handwriting, and participate in music and movement classes and science demonstrations. They also spend a lot of time talking about God and morality.
"It is a common problem in our society to underestimate the ability of young children to appreciate concepts like morality and religion," said Amy Fry, director of the Corpus Christi preschool program in Falls Church. "They are very interested in right and wrong and are dying to know what adults think. Religion provides an important structure for giving them that foundation."
"We're working on respect and telling them, `God created the world because He loves everyone and we have to respect people,'" McGlinchy said. "It's the same sharing that other schools teach, but it's based on a love of God and the fact that He shared with us so we have to share with others."
At St. Mary of Sorrows, monthly lessons focus on different Bible heroes and saints as the teachers walk the students through the liturgical year, explaining everything that happens in Lent, Advent and Ordinary Time.
The students also learn a lot about prayer, both formal and informal, since it is incorporated into every part of the day, from beginning to end.
At St. Charles, every morning begins with a session of "talking to God." Then, as the children get older, they are taught formal prayers like the Sign of the Cross and the Our Father. When they have snacks, the children are taught to always say a blessing.
"That's spirituality in action," McGlinchy said. "The 3-year-old is going home and saying, `we didn't say a blessing yet, we have to say a blessing.'"
At St. Mary of Sorrows, students take part in a monthly chapel time with a priest and the 4-year-olds attend first Friday Masses.
Corpus Christi students are taken to church every six weeks for a child-friendly service with songs centered around particular themes - guardian angels, Noah's ark, and service careers like police and firefighters among them.
At St. Charles, 3- and 4-year-old preschool students even participate in a Nativity presentation during Advent.
"It's very moving to see this loving, caring, innocent faith up there relaying to us the love of God," said McGlinchy.
A major benefit of Catholic preschool programs is that they get the children, and as a result, their families, involved in the Church community.
"The welcoming nature is inherent in the Catholic school philosophy - in the sense that the word "catholic" means universal, that `all are welcome' idea," Fry said. "It's very important that the children see this as a second family and that each child and their family feel a strong sense of belonging to this place."
In that way, Catholic preschools also double as ministries for young families, according to Quartuccio.
"There should be a preschool in every parish because it's also a ministry to young families - a way to get them reconnected to their faith through their children," Quartuccio said. "Their children come home with all the wonderful information about the Faith. It helps young families to feel a part of the parish."
Many of the preschool students move on to attend Catholic elementary school. Last year at St. Charles, about half of the students stayed at the school for kindergarten, McGlinchy said. Fry said Corpus Christi had about 40 percent of their students continue on to kindergarten and, even St. Mary of Sorrows, which isn't connected with a specific Catholic elementary school, had about 25 percent of its students move on to the Catholic school system, according to Quartuccio.
"We have parents saying they hadn't thought about moving on to Catholic schools before, but that they're now interested," said McGinley.
"These are our future church people," said Quartuccio. "We have to welcome them and help their families get on track. This is a place that's not threatening. We take their children and help them learn about God."
Click for the original story in the Catholic Herald.
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