It’s time for a new school year to kick-off, and the teachers at the Ministry Village Early Learning Center are excited to bring lots of learning and fun to the families with whom they are blessed to work. For parents, caregivers, and the children headed to school, the beginning of a new school year brings a whirlwind of information overload – new faces, new places and new routines. Keep your chins up, moms and dads! You’re not in this alone! Here are a few tips that can help in your preschooler’s transition – whether you are coming to the ELC for the first time, or just transitioning to a new classroom.

 1.    Ask current/previous teachers to write down tips. If your child has already been in preschool, those teachers know how to distract, soothe, educate and entertain your little one in a different way than mom and dad do. Use their expertise to help the next teacher, and set your child up for success from the start of the new year.

2.    Say “goodbye.” Letting your child say goodbye to their previous school, classroom, or teacher gives them a chance to move on to the next adventure.

3.    Talk about the new school. Build excitement for the new school year, whether they’ve already attended this preschool or not. Use positive words, include them in buying and organizing their school supplies, and talk about all the fun they have to look forward to.

4.    Keep your routine consistent. There are some great reasons that the best preschools run like a well-oiled, well-scheduled machine. Consistent schedules reassure children and provide them with some predictability. Home schedules are important too! Keep your morning routine the same as before, or start a new one the week before school starts. And allow some extra time for drop-off during the first few weeks so your child doesn’t feel rushing into their new environments.

If you have questions about your child’s transition to the ELC from another school, or from one classroom to another within the ELC, please call our ELC Director Mrs. Kristi or our Assistant Director Mrs. Paige and talk to them about your concerns. They have decades of experience dealing with little ones and all the emotions, and they can offer guidance and suggestions on ways to make the new school year transition easier on your little one – and you!

We are so excited for the upcoming school year and can’t wait to see everything that our ELC kids will accomplish this year!

 Licensed by both the Department of Children and Families and the Association of Christian Schools International, and an approved provider for Florida’s free Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) through the Escambia County Early Learning Coalition, the Ministry Village ELC provides Christ-centered, high quality, early learning childcare programs for children from 3 months of age to pre-kindergarten. It is the ELC’s goal to nurture each child and help them develop as a whole person – emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically. They do this by cultivating a healthy relationship between each child and his teacher, as the teachers work closely with parents and families to provide the comfort and stability needed to reassure a child that he is safe and loved. Parents can see pictures in their child’s private Facebook group class page to follow the precious moments of smiles, naps and early steps. Teachers actively engage with their children, providing stimulating, interesting and educational activities to encourage development of fine motor skills and gross motor skills.

• The 2022-2023 Ministry Village Early Learning Center VPK School Year will begin on August 10, 2022 and continue through May 23, 2023.

• For more information on the Ministry Village Early Learning Center, visit our website at MinistryVillageELC.org.

• Follow us on Facebook for the latest news and information. Facebook.com/MinistryVillageELC

• Call the Ministry Village Early Learning Center, Monday – Friday, 7 AM to 6 PM. (850) 378-8044