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QUESTION:  Is Meekins a Montessori School?

ANSWER: No, although like the Montessori programs we are a child-centered school.  We offer a developmentally-appropriate curriculum that is play-based.

QUESTION: How does Meekins Preschool handle the first days of school? I am concerned about how my child will react when Mommy or Daddy leaves her at the school for the first time.

ANSWER: Meekins is very sensitive to these concerns, and the school has developed a schedule that makes the beginning of school as comfortable as possible for the children and their parents. Before school begins in the fall, your child's teacher will visit him or her at your home. On the first day of school, your child will have a short individual visit with the teacher in the classroom. On the second day of school, your child will visit for 1 1/2 hours with half the class.

There is a graduated schedule at the beginning of the school year. Twos start off with a two-hour schedule in September, increasing to 2 1/2 hours in October and the full 3-hour day beginning in November. Threes and Fours begin with the two-hour schedule in September and progress to 3 hours at the beginning of October. Fives progress to 3 hours during September. There are about 3 formal class get-togethers during the summer, and weekly informal school get-togethers throughout the summer. We encourage families to participate so that both the parent and the child recognize faces when school begins.

The Meekins drop-off procedure also helps ease separation. At morning drop-off, the floater (a parent wearing a special, visible badge) takes children from parents' cars into the school. This begins the day emphasizing an important Meekins philosophy: independence and self-reliance build self-esteem. Please allow your child this experience. Letting the floater escort the children from the car will ease the process of separation: it is easier for a child to leave a parent at the curb than to have the parent to leave him/her in the classroom. Floaters will be sensitive to children's needs or apprehensions, just as you will be when you are the floater. Of course the drop-off is not mandatory, and some parents prefer to walk their children into school, but the drop-off procedure works well for most families.

QUESTION: What about security?

ANSWER: Meekins has procedures to ensure that children are picked up only by designated people. While drop-off for school occurs curb-side, pick-up only occurs at the door of each classroom. In addition, unannounced visitors are not allowed in the school.

QUESTION: Meekins is located at a church. Are you part of that church, and is there a religious component to the curriculum?

ANSWER: No. We are tenants of the church, and our operations are independent. Meekins is non-denominational and we have people of many different faiths among our membership.

QUESTION: Is it true that -- unlike other schools we have investigated -- Meekins does not require children to be toilet-trained?

ANSWER: Yes, Meekins accepts children who are not yet using the toilet.

QUESTION: What is the school's approach to discipline?

ANSWER: From the Parent's Handbook:  "We believe that the development of positive self-esteem and self-discipline is crucial to the social and emotional growth of young children. We recognize the differences in the ages and abilities of children. With these differences in mind, teachers and parent helpers use only positive guidance, redirection, and the setting of clear-cut limits that foster the child's own ability to become self-disciplined. Teachers and parent helpers encourage children to be fair, respect property, respect other people and learn to be responsible for their actions. At no time, and not for any reason, is there to be punishment of a child at Meekins. Discipline involves teaching character and self-control, even for two-year-olds!"

QUESTION: I am a stay-at-home Dad and wonder if I would be welcome as a co-op parent.

ANSWER: We are always delighted to have Dads in the classroom! Although most of our parent helpers are Moms, there are plenty of Dads who are very involved with the school, including more than one "stay-at-home Dad." In some families, both parents choose to take part in school activities, and in others, only one parent will participate.

QUESTION: Is parental participation optional, and what does it involve?

ANSWER: Parental participation is not optional! Each mother or father participates approximately once a month, either in the classroom as a teacher's helper or as a floater. Parents of children in the two-day program (Twos class) can expect to participate in the classroom or as the floater approximately eight times a year. Parents of children in the three-day program (Threes class) participate approximately nine times, parents of children in the four-day program (Fours class) participate approximately eleven times, and parents of children in the five-day program (Fives class) participate approximately twelve times. Parents provide a nutritious snack on the day they assist in the classroom.

Additional requirements include driving on approximately 3 field trips, a 3-hour maintenance obligation, a job to run the operation of the school, and completing 8 hours of continuing education.

QUESTION: Does Meekins offer daycare and/or an "extended day" program?

ANSWER: Meekins does not offer daycare.  Beginning in mid-autumn, families are occasionally offered the option of having the children eat lunch at school, for a small additional fee.  This is typically once a week for the Threes, Fours and Fives (less often for the Twos).  Under the supervision of teachers, the children enjoy an extra hour at Meekins to play indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather.  Lunches are provided by the parents.