Our Philosophy
The purpose of the Immanuel Preschool of Shillington is to enrich the personal growth and development of each child in a Christian atmosphere of love and acceptance. Each child is unique and we encourage his/her individuality. He/she should experience social interaction as a member of a group and relate to an adult outside of the family.
The Staff of the preschool will:
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Foster social and emotional development by providing learning experiences that encourage interaction and self-confidence.
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Promote intellectual growth through a program geared toward creative expression, experimentation and play. Our teachers work closely with local Kindergarten teachers in forming our Curriculum.
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Enhance spiritual growth through the experience of Christian values of love, patience, kindness, acceptance and forgiveness.
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Provide activities with music, paint, blocks and climbing equipment that encourage physical development.
Meet Our Director
Hi, I am Valerie Frederick, Director of Immanuel Preschool. I have been teaching at Immanuel since 1990. I have taught every program/class at Immanuel and currently teach the Toddler Time Classes.
I graduated Summa cum Laude from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. degree in Elementary Education/Early Childhood Ed. I also hold a Pennsylvania Early Childhood Teaching Certificate in Preschool/Kindergarten. In the past, I have presented at conferences and attend in-services yearly.
I am originally from western Pennsylvania, but since 1990, I have lived in Shillington with my family. My husband John and I have two grown children. My son is a recent graduate from Penn State University and is a secondary education teacher in a local school district, and my daughter graduated from Temple University in 2015 and lives with her husband, an Army Officer, in Missouri.
In 1993, I joined Immanuel U.C.C. and have taught the preschool Faith Formation Pre-K/K Class for several years.
Our Staff
Our preschool staff is made up of well qualified and experienced lead teachers and assistant teachers. We also have safe church policies on file including staff child abuse clearances, criminal background checks, and FBI Fingerprinting. We stay current with first aid, defibrillator and CPR training. We have two defibrillators in the church/preschool. We strive to stay up-to-date with early childhood issues by attending webinars, local workshops and doing in-service training with local Kindergarten teachers. We are so very proud that together we have created a warm, loving program where children can learn and have fun.
History
Since 1985, Immanuel Preschool has served children ages 2-5 from within the church and the community. The preschool was started after a group of parents formed a playgroup for their children and used a room in the church. This parent/child program, Toddler Time, continues to be an important part of our program today.
We began our preschool with morning classes for 3-Year-Olds and 4-Year-Olds. After that first year, we added afternoon sessions as well. In 1990, Immanuel Preschool began a Pre-Kindergarten program that was changed to an Older 4 & 5 Year-Old Class in 1994. In 1996, we added the Stay and Play Enrichment Class, which was an extended day on Friday. Children could bring a packed lunch and enjoy a fun, but more relaxed time from 11:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. In 2002, we extended our Stay and Play Class to Monday through Friday. In 2006, we modified the Stay and Play Program. Children can attend MWF for “The Imagination Adventure” or T/Th for “The Nature Adventure” or both. In 2007, realizing preschoolers might have a more difficult time transitioning to an all-day kindergarten we began offering a M-F (am) 4 & 5-Year-Old Class. Since 1985, we have held a one-week summer session the second or third week of July. We have since then added a second camp in July and one in August. Themes such as insects, dinosaurs, science experiments, and water fun are utilized.
We have had the supplemental KinderMusik program available to our preschoolers for over 30 years and in 2013 we added the Mighty Kicks Soccer Program as well.
Immanuel Preschool currently has over 85 students, many children taking more than one class. There are ten teachers and assistants, with Valerie Frederick serving as Director.
In 2001-02, the church began a building expansion and renovation project, which affected the preschool and the educational wing of the church. We now have a preschool office, sinks in our classrooms, new windows, ceilings and flooring, not to mention air conditioning and an indoor play area. During the 2009/2010 school year, a key fob access security system was installed for additional safety. In 2013, as an effort to help our working parents, we added an early drop off option called "Building and Board Games". Children may be dropped off in the multi-purpose room at 8:05 a.m. daily.
