Are you a religious school?

We are not. We are owned by Pilgrim United Church of Christ but use a strictly secular curriculum that is inclusive to all.

We will at times, such as holidays, encourage children to share about their own traditions which may overlap with religious beliefs. We welcome this discussion and sharing but never teach that one belief system is the correct one. We believe Pilgrim is a richer experience when all of our families share their culture, backgrounds, beliefs and heritages with us.

We’re eligible for transitional kindergarten (TK), why choose Pre-k instead?

We understand that the emergence of TK is exciting for some families, some families are eager to put their children in a more academic setting. While there is no answer that fits every child, we do strongly believe that giving children another year to grow and play at a slower pace is a gift.

We will introduce many of the same topics as TK - such as number sense, letter and word knowledge, emergent writing just to name a few - but we do it in a different manner. We use the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) to assess where children are individually and select activities that will meet them where they are and help them build their skills in a low stress, play-based environment. While it may look like “just play”, we adapt all of our materials and lessons to the needs of the individual children in the class and can move at the pace your child needs. Our lower staff ratios allow for more individualized care and smaller group activities that are more developmentally appropriate for this age group. Children in our program engage in hands on activities and lots of active play without any screens or worksheets.

How do you handle discipline?

Our staff are trained in Positive Discipline, which is a core value here at Pilgrim. Our staff also are trained in child development and understand that developmentally appropriate behaviors - such as hitting, biting, having trouble sharing, emotional outbursts - are normal for this age group. Our job is to teach social-emotional skills, communication skills, and reasoning skills so that children are equipped replace these behaviors with more positive choices.

We believe in well established and consistently enforced boundaries, using discussion to help children understand why they need to make different choices, using redirection when appropriate, and working to understand the “why” behind a child’s behavior. We never use physical punishment, yelling, shaming, or threats with children.

If a child is consistently struggling to make positive choices, or their behavior threatens the safety of other children or staff, we will partner with that family and make a plan that works for that child and the classroom as a whole.

Do you accept children with special needs or behavioral challenges?

We strive to be as inclusive as possible, and make these decisions on an individual basis. We want to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of your child and give them the support they need to grow and thrive. We have supported many children with IFSP/IEPS, special physical or emotional needs, children with behavioral challenges, and children with support aides from outside agencies.

We will first have a meeting with the family to discuss the child’s individual needs and what our capabilities are. If we mutually agree Pilgrim would be a good fit, we would proceed with a 60 day conditional enrollment plan which includes check-ins with the teachers, admin, family, and any other support such as aides if applicable.

We do have to consider the well-being of each classroom as a whole, and we do reserve the right to terminate enrollment of children who create unsafe environments for other children or our staff.

Do you accept tuition assistance?

Yes! We are partnered with and accept subsidized payments from the YMCA and CDA. These subsidies may cover the entirety of tuition or a portion, families are required to cover any remaining balances. Families who are interesting in applying can find more information here.

Do you use technology in the classroom with the children?

We are a screen-free environment. Staff have iPads for the purpose of assessment and parent communication but the children are never allowed to handle or view the iPads. We do utilize Alexa devices in the classroom for music, controlling lights, etc. but the children do not engage directly with the Alexa device. We also ask that parents do not bring screens into the classroom, do not leave screens with their child’s possessions or allow children to engage with screens at drop-off/pick-up.

How many days are best to start?

First and foremost - we do offer flexible scheduling and will work to meet each family’s needs and preferences.

That being said, we do find that most children do best with at least three days a week. There is a common misconception that a shorter schedule lets children “dip their toes in” and adjust better. In our experience, most children who attend less days take longer to acclimate and have positive drop-offs due to having more days between school days and less consistency in their schedules. Individual factors do influence this such as personality of the child and previous experiences away from the families. We are happy to help every child adjust and thrive at school no matter which schedule you choose.