The CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER (CDC) is a community service and outreach of Covenant. It is a nurturing pre-school with a purposed Christian worldview. It is our prayer that through this ministry the LORD will be pleased to bring unsaved children and their parents to Christ. The CDC is located on Covenant property and has been a part of the church’s ministry for about 35 years.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Covenant Child Development Center is to serve God by offering a Christ-centered preschool education to the children of those who worship at Covenant Presbyterian Church and the children of our community. The CDC seeks to glorify God and reveal Him to the students and their parents through biblical teaching and godly example. Learning experiences will be appropriate to the developmental stages of two, three and four year old children and will foster a biblical view of self and others.
We are a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church. We have a commitment to children, parents, and staff to provide an enriching experience in growing together. We believe that each one is created uniquely in the image of God. Our goal is to promote development socially, emotionally, intellectually, physically, and spiritually. In so doing we more effectively reflect the image of our Creator.
The simple answer to this often asked question is, our curriculum is a “theme-based model.” This type of curriculum model encourages children to form patterns in their learning. Recent brain research emphasizes the importance of forming patterns and helping children understand the connections to learning. Patterning information really means organizing and associating new information with previously developed mental “hooks.”
The theme of our curriculum for August through May is “In the Beginning.” A theme is an idea or topic that a teacher and children can explore in many different ways. Teachers consider the total needs of the children and use the monthly themes to invite new learning. Exploration of the themes arise from the kinds of events that take place in the classroom on a daily basis.
A well-loved former Director of our Child Development Center, Mrs. Lynne Catching, developed the curriculum that we use when she was Director of a preschool and Kindergarten program in Alabama. It is as relevant today as it was the day it was written because it contains an educational structure that combines sound philosophy with best every day practice. Our curriculum is built on the philosophy that all truth is God’s truth, that we are image-bearers of the Creator, and that we are responsible to Him for the stewardship of all His gifts. In order for one to have a Godly perspective of life and of the world, the truth of special creation must be one of the central threads that direct his thinking. Using the Biblical account of God’s creation as its foundation, the early childhood experience can leave an indelible mark on the young child. This approach offers opportunities to integrate truth with knowledge using subject matter that naturally appeals to a young child’s curiosity and is appropriate for his age and stage of development
Someone has said that “curriculum” is everything that happens to a school child from the moment he arrives at school until he goes home. This would include all daily activities, transitions, and routines that impact on the child’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development. We know it is true that everything that happens within the framework of the day profoundly affects the child, and so it is important that each day be a good one from beginning to end.
Having the Creation as its base, the structure of the curriculum consists of units of instruction that fit together under a monthly theme. As each unit is explored there are certain things we want the children to know or be able to do through the use of interesting and appropriate activities that are tools for this learning. These units provide more effective learning when they incorporate all the curriculum areas using the “correlated day” approach. This approach simply means that developmentally appropriate activities integrate literacy, social studies, math concepts, science, music, and art into the overall creation curriculum. Some units lend themselves more readily to this approach than others, but it is a very rewarding experience for the teacher and the student when attempted with enthusiasm and creativity!
Updated Spring 2006
Our Commitment to You
During the 30+ years of our existence the CDC has built a strong reputation in the community, and most of our families learn about us by a referral from other satisfied parents. Our desire is to earn your confidence everyday by providing excellent value in the following ways:
§ A safe and nurturing environment for your child
§ Classes taught by credentialed, experienced teachers, most of whom have been here many years (which translates into a low rate of teacher turnover)
§ A Bible-based curriculum that integrates biblical truths into everyday learning experiences
§ Varied learning experiences appropriate to the developmental stages of two, three, and four year old children that ready them for Kindergarten
§ Healthy staff to child ratios that promote favorable learning opportunities for children
For more information regarding the CDC, please contact Annette Sligh, Director at 646-6531.