ABOUT GOD’S GARDEN PRESCHOOL
What You Should Know
Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions a parent can make – and can be extremely difficult! There are many things to consider, including curriculum, philosophy, child-teacher ratios, reputation, cost, location, and recommendations from friends.
How do you choose a preschool for your child? Check out these websites for tips on choosing a high-quality preschool:
Natl. Assoc. for the Education of Young Children — What to Look For in a Program
Get Ready to Read — Choosing a Preschool
Karen Hill Scott– Choosing a Quality Preschool
Why choose God’s Garden as your child’s preschool?
There are many reasons to choose God’s Garden as your child’s preschool, but these are our TOP TEN:
- Child-centered, discovery-based curriculum
- Incorporates the High/Scope curriculum into classrooms
- Focus on kindergarten readiness skills
- Low child-teacher ratios (1:5 toddler, 1:8 preschool & pre-K)
- Dedicated, highly educated and qualified teachers
- Warm, community feel
- Loving, Christian environment with the love of God as a central theme
- Open-door policy – volunteers always welcome
- Supportive and inclusive school environment
- Play-based learning opportunities
BONUS: We also offer after school enrichment classes and extended care before and after school!
What can you expect at God’s Garden?
God’s Garden utilizes a child-centered, discovery based curriculum with projects, themes, or topics that are integrated in all learning activities. These activities are developmentally appropriate and offer children an opportunity to develop as individuals and participate in whole and small group activities directed by the teachers. Our Program incorporates the High/Scope Preschool educational approach, which focuses on active learning through play. The central tenet of the High/Scope approach is “active learning” – the belief that children learn best through active experiences with people, materials, events, and ideas rather than through direct teaching or sequenced exercises.
At God’s Garden, we prepare children for kindergarten and beyond. We teach children basic skills such as letters, numbers, shapes, and colors. We also teach them to follow rules, make good choices, solve conflicts, and be respectful. In addition, children are provided with opportunities to develop social and emotional competence – which is at the root of kindergarten readiness. Children learn emotional regulation, self esteem, and self confidence by building relationships with other children and adults at God’s Garden.
Children are also prepared to engage in higher order thinking. Higher Order Thinking involves the learning of complex judgmental skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and conflict resolution. It is beyond rote memorization and regurgitation of information.
Click here for a complete description of our curriculum.
Kindergarten
Due to popular demand, God’s Garden is now offering Kindergarten! We have developed a program to help your young kindergarten child thrive and learn.
CORE VALUES
God's Garden Cores
Our program is unique because we provide a loving, nurturing, Christian community environment, in which we work to get to know our students and families through our Four Core Values:
1. Christ-Centered
We believe that God loves children and we want them to know his love. We will care for them in the same way he does. We will help children develop a love of God through daily interactions with teachers and staff, bi-monthly Chapel Service, integration of monthly Chapel Themes into the curriculum, and daily Prayer. Our goal is to serve all families in our community – including those who may believe differently than us. Our commitment to faith means that your child will be cared for and taught to love and respect other people.
2. Child-Centered
We believe children are active learners, thus we provide a child-centered, discovery-based learning environment, in which your child will grow and thrive. We will help your child develop a love of learning by actively engaging him in the classroom. Our curriculum is created by the teachers who know your child best and therefore is the most meaningful. By engaging with teachers and other children, your child will develop long-lasting, intimate, loving relationships, as well as, kindergarten readiness skills such as higher order thinking, critical thinking, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution, which are all necessary for growing the heart, mind, and spirit.
3. Parent-Minded
We know that you, as a parent, know your child best. You are the primary influence on your child’s life and we are here to support you. We do this in the following three ways: 1) Partner with you, 2) Resource you, and 3) Connect with you.
4. Community Oriented
God’s Garden is part of a larger community. We want our students and families to be engaged with the world around them; to understand the opportunities they have to bless and serve others around them, so they grow up realizing that life is about the larger whole, rather than only themselves. Therefore, we engage in a variety of service projects throughout the year, including: Transportation Day, Food Drives, Love Up, Winged Hope, etc. There are many ways for you to get involved.
OUR MISSION
Keeping Our Kids In Mind
History
In 1999 members of the Horizon worshipping community identified the need for an Ahwatukee preschool. At the time, there were few Ahwatukee daycare or quality Christian preschools in the area. From this “seed”, the idea grew and after a year of tender loving care, God’s Garden Preschool and Child Development Center opened in the fall of 2000. God’s Garden is a ministry of Horizon Presbyterian Church and operates at the direction of the Session, or governing board, of the church.
Our Mission
God’s Garden Preschool partners with parents to grow the heart, mind, and spirit of the whole child in a Christ-centered environment.
CURRICULUM
Best Services for Kids
- NURTURING
- CHILD-CENTERED
- DISCOVERY BASED
- ACTIVE LEARNING
- HIGH/SCOPE CURRICULUM
- PLAN-DO-REVIEW
- WORK TIME
- CORE CENTERS
- CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
- KINDERGARTEN READINESS
- EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
- CLASSROOM COMMUNITY
- SAFE PLACE
- SCHOOL FAMILY
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
CHAPEL
The values and beliefs of Christianity permeate God’s Garden daily in a variety of ways. Primarily, the school environment reflects the Christian faith as adults model a love of God by teaching values such as self-esteem, hope, faith, caring and sharing, forgiveness, honesty, responsibility, thankfulness, patience, love, joy, and fairness. In addition, basic Bible teachings such as creation, Noah’s Ark, the birth of Jesus, the birth of Moses, Easter, prayer, love, trust, and hope are used to support and extend the various thematic units. Prayer is said to start and end the day, as well as before snack and meal times. Finally, chapel is led bi-monthly by our director, pastor, teachers, and/or volunteers from Horizon Church. Chapel themes focus on basic virtues such as goodness, kindness, love, joy, as well as other important key concepts from the Bible including, but not limited to, the birth of Jesus, Easter, Creation, etc. These concepts are aligned with the Bible, key elements of High Quality Early Childhood Education, and God’s Garden Core Values.
Jennifer Lamoreaux.
Parents“I’ve sent both of my children to God’s Garden, nearly 7 years apart, and had equally great experiences with both. The teachers are phenomenal – caring and highly educated, and I am impressed with the thought and creativity that goes into their day-to-day activities.”
Nicole Koester
Parents“God’s Garden Preschool hits all the W’s for me: warm, welcoming and wonderful. My kids enjoyed learning through play. I loved the faith-based curriculum and my husband loved the price. We felt part of a community from the moment we walked in the front doors.”
Donna Shott.
Parents“Knowing that the early years are so important, we chose God’s Garden because of the quality learning environment to help our child be prepared for kindergarten. The staff provide a loving and nurturing experience and it’s reassuring to know our child is in such great hands!”