Q&A with St. Francis Xavier Little Sailors Preschool

I am happy to share our Q&A with St. Francis Xavier Little Sailors Preschool. I am grateful that the school’s director, Monica Gorman, was happy to answer our questions. My hope is that this article will help you in your search for a preschool for your child(ren).

St. Francis Xavier Preschool – Class Details

Question: Please give us an overview of the classes that you offer including ages, days of the week, and time of day.

Answer:

• Our PS3 class meets from 9:00-11:15, with car side drop-off from 8:35- 9:00. Families have the choice of either a Monday/Wednesday or a Tuesday/Thursday class.
• PS4 class meets from 9:00- 11:30, with car side drop-off from 8:35- 9:00. Families may choose either a 3-day option (M/W/F class) or a 5-day option (Monday thru Friday). The core curriculum is taught on M/W/F and Tuesday/Thursday are review and enrichment days.
• PS5s is an afternoon program, meeting from 12:40- 3:00. Car side drop-off is from 12:30- 12:40. Families may choose Monday thru Thursday, or Monday thru Friday. The core curriculum is taught on Monday thru Thursday afternoons and Friday afternoon is used for review and enrichment.

Question: How many teachers and students are in one class?

Answer: Our PS3 classes have a maximum of 14 students in each class. Our PS4 class has a maximum of 18 students in the class. Our PS5 class also has a maximum of 18 students in the class. All 3 of our age groups are staffed by one teacher and one classroom aide.

Question: Do children need to be fully potty trained?

Yes, the children must be successfully potty trained to attend St. Francis Xavier Little Sailors Preschool.

St. Francis Xavier Preschool – Education, Learning Styles, & Daily Schedules

Question: How much time are the children sitting at desks versus moving and learning through activities?

Answer: The children are typically at their tables for a whole group math lesson which usually lasts approximately 15 minutes. They are at their tables for approximately that same amount of time for our religion lesson. And some of our small group activities take place at the tables (another 15 minutes).

Question: Please give us an example of a daily class schedule and/or link to a resource on your website that details this.

Answer:

Question: Do the teachers have degrees/licenses/certifications in Early Childhood Education?

Answer: Two of our 3 lead teachers have Bachelor’s Degrees and the third has a Master’s Degree. All 3 of our lead teachers have certifications in early childhood education. Both of our classroom aides have Bachelor’s Degrees.

St. Francis Xavier – Safety, Discipline, & Health

Question: How do you monitor/control who is coming into the building while students are there?

Answer: Our preschool is located in the same building as our K-8 day school. The front doors of the school, along with all outside doors are kept locked at all times. Visitors to the building must use the doorbell located near the front doors to buzz the front office. It is up to the discretion of the person working in the front office whether or not to admit the visitor.

Question: What is your school’s approach to discipline should it be needed?

Answer: When one of our preschoolers is having a difficult time we usually try to channel their attention in a different direction. If children are having difficulty sharing, we use a timer so that each child has sufficient time to use the toy, game, or school supply. If a child is engaged in an activity or behavior that could cause harm to another child or him/herself, we typically remove them to the time out chair (located in a different area of the room) for 3, 4, or 5 minutes, depending on the age of the child.

Question: What happens if there is a COVID-19 outbreak?

Answer: At our school, we follow the guidelines of the CDC and the Medina County Health Department. The health department is given all pertinent information and they make the decision regarding length of quarantine and/or contact tracing to be done. If at any time we are required to close our preschool, our teachers are trained and our equipment is such that we are able to immediately begin teaching remotely, ensuring that our students do not miss any class time.

Question: Are students required to wear masks?

Answer: Yes, the students in our preschool are required to wear masks with the exception of snack time and physical education class.

St. Francis Xavier – Registration Information

Question: When is the deadline for registration? How do parents register their children?

Answer: Registration is currently underway for the 2021-2022 school year. To visit our website for additional information about our Step Up to Quality 5 Star Rated preschool and to begin the registration process, please go to https://www.sfxmedina.com/school/preschool-information/