STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

The Columbia Heights Preschool is a ministry of Columbia Heights United Methodist Church. The Preschool delights in diversity and welcomes families of all faiths, creeds, and ethnic origins. The programs of the Preschool all stem from a common desire for excellence in meeting the needs of children and their families for nurture, growth, development, relationship and understanding.

Both the Church School and the Preschool are directed toward growth as a member of the larger community of humankind, however, the Preschool does not contain instruction specific to any one specific faith.

The Preschool program derives its direction from the following principles:

• The home is the most important factor in a child's development; we will always strive to support and compliment the home in order to promote the healthy development of both children and parents.
• We believe in the dignity and worth of each child and family and their need to be accepted for who they are as individuals.
• Loving , trusting, and respecting each child makes that child capable of loving, trusting and respecting others.
• We believe in helping each child to form a positive self-image.
• It is important to meet each child's needs for physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth.
• We believe in providing a play oriented environment in order to meet each child's unique individual needs.
• The needs of children change as they grow, and that the programs must respond in content and structure by using the best techniques in human development to meet those needs.
• Children have a right to a nurturing, safe and happy environment which promotes their natural curiosity and desire to learn.
• Children have a right to have teachers who are capable and caring, and whose values enable them to be excellent role models.