It is hard for me believe that my first year as Mother’s Day Out Director is coming to a close! It only seems like yesterday I was discussing this with Judy and praying about this decision. It was an easy and hard decision at the same time. I had been teaching for 29 years and didn’t see my-self doing anything else, plus I worried if I was too set in my ways to change for the challenges that MDO presented. Happily, I can say it has been a wonderful year here at MDO! I did feel the pull of the Lord over and over again last year when the doubts would creep into my mind and heart……and thankfully I did listen to those calming words from our Lord. I have enjoyed the teachers, it is like a little family out here, and of course, the children are precious and love as on-ly children can. Those bright little faces coming in the doorway each week just make my whole heart and mind feel like a kite flying in the sunshine. The nurture of young children, especially birth through 3 years old, is one of the most important gifts we can give a child…..thus giving it to the adult they will become someday. We at Cumberland Presbyterian should be proud of the part we have played in this area in the past 40 plus years. Dr. Pepper was a visionary and I am so glad he established this program, and that Stroby was diligent enough to study, plan and guide it through its infancy. Of course, I cannot take credit for our wonderful program, I am taking over sailing a ship which has been sailing along very well thanks to Judy and all the MDO teachers, but I am very glad to have this opportunity to guide our children’s program until the Lord’s presses me on to another task. It has been a wonderful year and I am looking forward to many more years to come! Julie

LOSOPHY

The Mother`s Day Out and Kindergarten Program emphasizes the importance and value of each individual child. We subscribe to the belief that the best preparation for school is a solid foundation and we strive not to omit for any child any steps in the developmental process in any area of growth.

. . .We believe a sound program of pre-primary education should focus on all areas of human development. No one area – social, emotional, physical, or intellectual – can or should be emphasized to the exclusion of any other area.

. . .We see all children as worthy individuals, capable of success, and we strive to instill in all children a positive self-image and a feeling of confidence in their own abilities.

. . .We understand that all learning is sequential and that children grow and mature according to nature`s own good time. We believe pressure and arbitrarily subscribed expectations to be counterproductive; we focus instead on positive reinforcement of children`s attempts to master skills appropriate to their individual developmental levels.

. . .We acknowledge the need for continuity between home and school and actively encourage parental interest and participation in our instructional program.

. . .We believe that curiosity and the desire to know are instinctive characteristics of mankind. We strive to capitalize on these characteristics and to foster a love of learning in and of itself, as well as to help in achieving future educational goals.

. . .We subscribe to the belief that the best insurance for educational success is a solid foundation and we see the kindergarten experience as an orientation to all future learning experiences.

. . .We recognize the importance of enrichment to learning and we believe that well-equipped classrooms staffed with enthusiastic, warm, supportive, well trained personnel can make truly immeasurable contributions to the educational lives of children.

Thank you for entrusting your child`s life in our hands. It is a gigantic task and responsibility, but it is one we are excited to assume because God has led us into this joyous ministry.