Stone House Preschool is a child-centered, family-oriented preschool dedicated to research-based early childhood education. Led by highly qualified staff, this ministry of SHPC is dedicated to providing early learners with a strong faith foundation in a warm and loving environment. Curriculum is theme-based, each incorporating spiritual focus, early literacy and mathematics, fine and gross motor skills, social skills and play. Stone House Preschool offers programs for children ages 3 to 5. Our class ratios are similar or lower than state requirements.
The Stone House Preschool also offers optional add-on and enrichment programs that enhance the core program. “Friday Bugs”, Friday Enrichment, is available at select times during the school year. For more information on any of these programs, please call the school and/or make an appointment to talk with us in person!
Questions and visits are welcomed and encouraged — please contact the director, at 757-565-1130 (x12) or office.shpreschool@gmail.com to inquire. We look forward to hearing from you and encouraging and equipping your little one to develop a love of God, a love of themselves, and a love for learning!
If your child or someone you know is interested in registering to Stone House Preschool, a registration form can be found under the Forms tab.
Registration for the 2023-2024 School year is now OPEN!
If you have any questions please reach out to the preschool director, Bianca Pottinger, via email at office.shpreschool@gmail.com.
Some forms download as Word Documents:
Summer Bugs/ Camp 2023 Registration Form: Coming Soon
Registration Form- (RETURNING FAMILIES ONLY)– Open
Registration Form- (NEW FAMILIES ONLY)– Open
Open House 2023-2024: Coming Soon
2022-2024 Parent Handbook: Updated 1/2023
School Physical Form: Copy and paste URL: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/content/uploads/sites/58/2022/12/MCH213G_School_Entrance_Fillable-Form.JPpdf_.pdf
Stone House Preschool 2022/2023 School year begins on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 and will run until Wednesday, May 31 2023. We will, in general, follow the Williamsburg -James City County school calendar unless otherwise indicated via our website or via parent email. Following are all major school breaks and holidays for the 2022-2023 school-year:
October
3 Teacher Professional Development Day
November
8 No classes- Parent Teacher Conferences
21-25 Thanksgiving Break
28 Classes Resume
December
15 No classes- Teacher Work Day
19-30 Winter Break
January
2 New Year's Day Observed- School Closed
3 Classes Resume
16 Martin Luther King Day- School Closed
27 Student Holiday
February
20 President’s Day- School Closed
March
6 No classes- Parent Teacher Conferences
April
3-7 Spring Break
May
29 Memorial Day- School Closed
31 Last Day of classes for students
June
1-2 Teacher Work Day
The preschool is located in the basement of the church. There are four classrooms with bathrooms on each side of the hall between each set of classrooms. The preschool also has an attached playground.
We recognize that our quality of care is directly related to the positive interactions each child has with his/her teacher. In order to promote those interactions and relationships, we maintain the following DOE compliant ratios:
Class (Age) | Max Size | SHPS Ratio | State Ratio |
Caterpillars (3s) | 10 | 1:8 | 1:10 |
Dragonflies (4s) | 10 | 1:10 | 1:10 |
Ladybugs (4s) | 10 | 1:10 | 1:10 |
Fireflies (4/5s) | 10 | 1:10 | 1:10 |
(Children must be three years old on or before September 30, 2022)
(Children must be four years old on or before September 30, 2022)
(Children must be four years old on or before September 30, 2022)
(Children must be five years old on or before January 1st, 2023)
The start of our 2022-2023 School year is approaching us. Our Open Houses will take place on Wednesday August 31st for Dragonflies and Caterpillars & Thursday September 1st for Ladybugs and Fireflies from 9:30AM – 11:00 PM. Important information will be shared on this day so please make necessary arrangements to attend.
This will be a good time to ensure you have brought in the required school physical form and birth certificates.
Summer Bugs is a fun and interactive Summer experience for students ages 4-11. Our beautiful campus allows for plenty of indoor and outdoor experiences.
Registration coming soon…
Stone House Preschool is a developmentally appropriate program implementing a theme-based curriculum. As should be a part of any excellent program, our curriculum is based on developmental centers that allow a child to do their most important work – play! Developmental centers include the following: math, science, art, blocks, literacy, dramatic play, fine motor, and faith. Young children learn best by exploring the world around them. They acquire knowledge through active play including opportunities to make choices, investigate, perform, manipulate, practice, repeat, transform, and experiment. Further, because reading and literacy is such a fundamental skill, it is critically important that children learn in a print-rich environment. Each day includes structured circle times, centers, gross motor play, snack, faith, read-a-louds, and lots and lots of love. Teachers plan daily lessons according to curricular themes and, based on their daily observations of children, build on each child’s own interests to incorporate activities into their lessons. A prayer is recited before all mealtimes. As the availability of technology grows at SHPS, teachers will use computers, specifically, the internet, to share appropriate videos, read-a-louds, or other activities with children. When this strategy is used, teachers interact directly with the children, facilitating interactions and conversations.
The vision of Stone House Preschool at SHPC is to provide a safe, nurturing, Christ-like environment in Upper James City County where preschool children will encounter and experience the love of God.
The mission of Stone House Preschool is to interact with children and their families in a manner that goes beyond providing childcare, but that also seeks to promote and nurture a young child’s growth and development.
We are full force into the cold and flu season so I wanted to take a moment to share our sick policy with everyone. This is in the handbook that was emailed to all parents at the beginning of the school year. Some clarifying notes have been added in areas where there seems to be a bit of confusion. If you are not getting emails from the preschool, I have sent several, please see me as our primary form of communication is email.
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If you question whether or not your child is well enough to come to school, please err on the side of caution and keep your child at home. Children should NOT come to school if he or she has:
A fever above 100° within the last 24 hours
Diarrhea or vomiting within the last 24 hours
Any sort of communicable or undiagnosed rash
Any draining skin sores, or inflamed, draining eyes or ears
A persistent cough
Continuous green or clear mucus from the nose
Head Lice or Scabies
Ring Worm
Excessive lethargy which prohibits your child from a positive day in preschool
COVID symptoms or exposure (See the end of this correspondence for the most up to date COVID policy)
If a student is out sick for 3 or more consecutive days, they must return to the preschool with a doctor’s note on their first day back. NOTE: If you are going on vacation, please be sure to communicate this in advance so it is not presumed that your child is out sick.
Preschool staff are not expected to wipe constantly running noses. Please refrain from sending your child to school until nose mucus is under control. Stone House Preschool reserves the right to refuse care to a child if there is evidence that the child has been seen and treated by a physician for debatable symptoms, and/or the child is not considered by staff to be well enough to participate in regular activities.
If your child becomes ill while at preschool, a designated family member will be notified immediately by the teacher or director. Should that person be unavailable, the emergency contact will be notified. Ill children MUST be picked up by a parent/authorized person within 30 minutes of being notified of illness. Sick children will be kept away from the other children while at school.
A doctor’s note will be required for a child to return to preschool following a serious injury, illness or accident that may result in limited or restricted activity for the child. Please note: For illness, a note will be required after missing 3 consecutive days of school. The note can be from urgent care or your child’s regular physician and must state that they are not contagious and can return to school. Your doctor will determine whether a COVID test is needed.
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Medication
Medication WILL NOT be administered by staff members. Please administer any necessary medications/ointments/lotions before bringing your child to preschool. Please note that this includes sunscreen and insect repellent. Please apply topical treatments prior to sending your child to school. Please note: children with fever who have been given fever reducing medication within the last 24 hours are not permitted at school. Children MUST be fever-free without medication for 24 hours before returning to school.
**If your child is sent home during the school day with a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting, they cannot return the next day as it will not meet the 24 hour symptom free requirement.
We are currently allowing the option of masks due to updated CDC and Office of Childcare Health and Safety guidance.
Effective 8/4/2022
CDC GUIDANCE:
The CDC encourages anyone eligible to get the COVID vaccine.
Students and staff will have the option to wear masks/ face shields inside the preschool. According to the CDC, getting a vaccine and wearing a mask are the best steps we can take to protect ourselves and others from becoming very sick. COVID vaccines reduce the severity of illness for most people.
Please feel free to check this page often for updates. Most up to date information is shared with parents via email.
If you have any questions, you can feel free to email the director, Bianca Pottinger, at office.shpreschool@gmail.com.
Click on your child's class to see their supply list. All classes have a different list, please ensure you are viewing the correct list.