Religion:
Christian values are intertwined throughout the school day in various practices. Age-appropriate and meaningful Christian lessons are taught through songs, crafts, routines, and read alouds, which include:

• Daily prayer with our children

• During Christmas time, our children learn that Jesus is the best gift of all.

• We teach our children at Easter that Jesus loves us.

• Children attend Chapel every month where they explore themes of God's love for us

Curriculum:

• Learn basic academic concepts of literacy and math, such as counting, colors, patterns, and letter recognition. 

• Be immersed in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities that invite them to think critically and experiment with hands-on learning.

• Gain social and school-readiness skills, such as making friends, sharing, and taking turns. 

• Develop both large and fine motor skills, such as walking in a line and using a pencil properly.

• Experience daily creative art and sensory activities, such as free art, process art, sand & water table exploration, and more

Staff:
Our teachers are chosen for their dedication to meeting the developmental and educational needs of children. All staff members possess a wide variety of experiences and expertise in the area of Early Childhood Education. They have a variety of educational backgrounds from Child Development certifications to bachelor's degrees and credentials. Every staff member is CPR/First Aid certified, trained for emergency and disaster preparedness, and they stay up to date on all MSDE required trainings. 

Class Sizes:
We are proud of our small class sizes. We only accept:

• 10 Children in each 2's class

• 15 Children in each 3's class

• 15 Children in each 4's class

Every class has one lead teacher and one assistant teacher at all times.

Snack:
We serve snack every day in each class. We offer milk, water and a grain. We celebrate special events, holidays and birthdays with fun treats and class parties. 

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Each class meets the specific allergy needs of the students in that class. Some years a class will be nut, egg, etc. free.  

Why half-day kindergarten?

There is evident value in both choices. Ultimately, it comes down to what is best for your child, and your family. I found this article to be worded well and helpful in articulating a case for both options. 

Full Article Here

"I wish I could tell you that there was a clear body of research that supported the half-day kindergarten or the full-day program. There are many different studies out there that show students who attend full-day kindergarten often do better in first grade and on standardized tests. However, there are also studies that show data that by the end of fourth grade there is no difference and children who took more time to play, create, and imagine, actually had better higher-level thinking skills long term". 

Security:
At GUMS, we take the safety of children, staff and visitors very seriously. We work closely with police, fire and security experts to ensure that we have the appropriate measures in place.

For the 23-24 School Year you can count on: 

• Secured and monitored entrances.

• Locked interior and exterior doors at all times. 

• Staff trained in disarmament, self-defense and active intruder defense. 

• Private student bathrooms in each classroom.

• No staff and child alone 1:1 

• Enclosed outdoor playground area, inaccessible to vehicles.

• Visitor check-in, verified identifications and badges. 

• Evacuation plan for all emergency situations; shelter in place for weather related emergencies, etc. in place and practiced frequently.