Our Director
Coleen Kaae is the Director at Fountain Valley United Methodist Preschool (FVUMP). She has been in the field of Early Childhood Education for over 25 years and loves all aspects of preschool and feels she is truly blessed to serve as the FVUMP Director. She has a Bachelor Degree in Liberal Studies from Cal State Long Beach, Multiple Subject Teaching Credential (Preschool- 8th grade) and a Masters Degree in Cross Cultural Education. Coleen is currently part of the Orange County Department of Education’s “Orange County Preschool Planning Collaborative”. She is a member of many preschool related organizations and frequently attends conferences to remain current on the best teaching practices for young learners. Coleen and her husband live in Huntington Beach and have two teenage children.
Our Staff
The importance of quality staff cannot be underrated. Our staff are carefully chosen for their experience and training in the field of Early Childhood Education and Child Development, as well as their Christian maturity. They all participate in a continuous program of in-service education and studies for professional advancement in order to remain aware of current research and alert to the ever changing needs of today’s families.
Purpose, Education Philosophy, and Mission
Fountain Valley United Methodist Preschool operates as a ministry of Fountain Valley United Methodist Church. Our primary purpose as a developmental Preschool is to help children grow spiritually, emotionally, socially, physically, intellectually, and creatively in Christian surroundings, as supplement to the home environment. Since our philosophy focuses upon the developmental process of the child, we provide programs that include opportunities for growth in all areas.
We seek to create a nurturing environment with an educational program that is appropriate for each child’s developmental level. The activities that we introduce are based on the philosophy that children develop in an orderly, predictable pattern. As a result we recognize that learning is best served through active exploration, manipulation of concrete (hands-on) materials, self-initiated projects and guidance from teachers who pick up clues from the interests which children display.
Our mission is to provide children a quality education with Jesus as the focal point. Using the Bible as our foundation, we encourage each child to reach his or her fullest potential by using the developmental process and by building Christian character.
We are a member of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation
We have been accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs since 1991. We have voluntarily undergone a comprehensive process of internal self-study, and invited external professional review to verify compliance with the academy’s criteria for high quality early childhood programs – a program that provides a safe and nurturing environment while promoting the spiritual, physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of young children.
Curriculum
We offer an academic/developmental curriculum which presents both structured and non-structured activities, providing the children a wide variety of hands-on learning opportunities throughout the day. The most meaningful curriculum is one that actually emerges from the child’s interest. Our approach to learning can also be described as a constructivist approach. Children are constantly building on previous knowledge and refining what they know with new experiences. We use Creative Curriculum which focuses on the environment as a critical teaching tool. It addresses every aspect of the classroom environment. Creative Curriculum is aligned with California’s Preschool Learning Foundations and NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards.
Classrooms
Our indoor and outdoor play environments are designed to encourage experimentation with real objects and provide meaningful context. We provide our classrooms with developmentally appropriate materials that challenge children’s abilities and invite them to explore. Both our indoor and outdoor environments are carefully planned to encourage independence and provide choices. Limited class size provides individual attention and group interaction.
Sessions
Regular Session: Mid September to Mid June
Summer Session: June/July (5 weeks)
Times
Regular Session: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm (noon)
Lunch Bunch (Optional): 12:00 to 1:00 pm (Tuesday to Friday)
Ages
Children age 2 ½ through 6
Tuition
Registration: $85, material fee: $25
Tuesday and Thursday (2 days per week): $1980 year/$198 month
Monday, Wednesday, Friday (3 days per week): $2630 year/$263 month
Monday through Friday (5 days per week): $3890 year/$389 month
There is a 10% discount for siblings
There is a 5% discount if paid for whole year
There is a 10% addition for children who are not potty trained
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