A new preschool program committed to providing

Quality Early Childhood Education

 with an extra touch of TLC

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What ages of children do you serve and what are the teacher/child ratios?

 

We have one multi-age classroom for 3 and 4 year olds (and 5-year-olds who do not make the K age requirement).  We are licensed for a maximum of 15 children, and there will be 2 teachers and a director on site at all times.

 

 

What is your schedule and tuition rate?

 

Families can choose a schedule of 2 or 4 days per week, as follows:

 

2 days/week (either M, W or T, Th)              9:30 - 1:30 each day              Tuition $280/month

 

4 days/week (M, T, W, Th)                            9:30 - 1:30 each day              Tuition $560/month

  

 

Children will bring lunch each day.

 

 

Where are you located?

 

The location is wonderful!  We are in Columbia, in the Village of Oakland Mills, in the Talbott Springs Neighborhood Center.  The address is 9660 Basket Ring Road -- easily accessible from Oakland Mills Rd., Broken Land Parkway, or from Rt. 175 near Highway 29.  There are 2 classrooms in the building.  One will be used for our center areas, and the other will serve as an auxiliary space for lunch, music & movement, gross motor skills on rainy days, etc.  To enhance our wonderful location, The Columbia Association has recently built us a brand new fenced-in playground!

 

 

 

When will your school year begin and end?

 

We will open our doors on Monday, September 8.  We will follow the Howard County Public School System for holiday and inclement weather closings.  Our final school day for this year will be on May 21st.

 

 

 

Do you already have your teachers and assistants picked for this fall? 

 

Yes.  I have hired two exceptional teachers to join my team.  Both are certified and experienced Child Care Teachers who are committed to providing meaningful learning experiences to the children in their care.  They will “team teach” as 2 lead teachers – there is not an “assistant”.

 

In addition to knowing both ladies as personal family friends, I have also had the pleasure of working with them in a previous preschool setting.  All three of us are mothers who have chosen teaching as a profession, and together we make a very strong team!

 

 

 

Where did you teach prior to this? 

 

My teaching background began 20 years ago.  I have 2 Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in Psychology from the University of North Carolina, and the other in Elementary Education from Elon University.  Since 1988, I have devoted myself to working in the field of education.  I have taught and directed in numerous educational settings – school aged childcare, special education in public school, tutoring centers, and preschool.  Most recently, I was the enrichment teacher and site-director at Sunny Day Preschool.  It has always been my dream to have my own school, and now I am making that dream come true.

 

 

 

How academic is your program going to be? 

 

Our philosophy is that children at this age learn best through play and social interaction.  Through hands on experiences and lots of interactive dialog, we will foster children's natural sense of wonder and provide them with the necessary skills to be ready to enter kindergarten.  I am certified in the techniques of the Maryland Model for School Readiness, and will guide my teachers in curriculum planning to include meaningful learning experiences that encompass all areas of growth and development -- social & emotional, language, science, social studies, mathematics, physical, and the arts.  From the teacher's perspective, activities will have a purpose and planning will be intentional.  In the eyes of the children, school will be a fun and welcoming place to play with their friends!


Are you meeting with parents so they can learn more and get a feel for your program?

 

We encourage interested parents to come to our Open House on August 19 from 1:00-3:00 p.m.  If you are unable to attend on that day, I am always happy to meet in person or talk on the phone to answer further questions.  Please call or email me (Ann Marie Irby) at 410-740-5538 or thelearningcottage@verizon.net.

 

 

 

 

      Thank you for your interest in

 

We hope to share in the wonder and excitement of your child's education!