Church preschool celebrates 50 years of success serving kids

What started in 1963 with about 10 students in a kindergarten class has now grown to about 85 kids from 3-5 years old at the Lexington Avenue Baptist Church daycare.

According to Pat Stewart , director of the daycare, in 1963, the program was started after there were two mothers who wanted their children to be able to attend classes before starting school.

?So they went to the church and asked if they could start a kindergarten program here, at Lexington Avenue,? Stewart said.

This year marks the 50-year anniversary of the school, which in the beginning served 5-year-olds. In the late ?60s and early ?70s, the center shifted to inlude 3- and 4-year-olds. After the public school system started kindergarten courses in the early 1970s, the kindergarten class at the church became known as the pre-school.

Not only are the roots of Lexington Avenue Baptist Church based in faith, the private, Christian preschool itself occupies the basement of the church.

?We are kind of unique in that,? Stewart said, explaining that the location, in the basement of the church, adds to the unsual element of the preschool.

The preschool has been able to attract students from surrounding counties.

Besides faith, there is another focus: ?to create a love of learning.?

?We try to make it fun to learn,? she said. As a retired kindergarten teacher, Stewart understands the value of learning and teaching young children the best ways to transition from preschool and daycare to the kindergarten classes.

For the fall term, the Lexington Avenue Baptist Church preschool will offer daily classes for 4- and 5- years-olds, a three-day program for 4-years-olds, and a two-day program for 3-year-olds.

Stewart said the organization will soon begin taking applications for fall classes. A new addition to the programs will be one that begins earier and ends a bit later, to help parents who? work and are unable to drop off or pick up their child during the earlier window.

?The reason we are doing that is to give more families the opportunity to take advantage of Lexington Avenue Baptist Church,? Stewart said.

For more information about the church, contact (859) 236-3565 or visit the webite at www.lexingtonavenue.org.

Source: http://www.centralkynews.com/amnews/news/amn-church-preschool-celebrates-50-years-of-success-serving-kids-20130508,0,2880245.story?track=rss

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