Frequently Asked Questions

• How old does a child need to be to qualify for one of your classes?
  To be part of our Three Year Old Program, a child must be 3 years old by September 30th. Likewise, a child must be 4 years old by September 30th to qualify for our Four Year Old Program and 5 years old by September 30th to qualify for our Kindergarten program.  We try hard to place a child in a situation where we feel he/she will be the most successful developmentally.
   
• What is your pupil/teacher ratio?
  There is an average of 6-7 to 1 (student/teacher) ratio in the Three and Four Year Old Programs, with an average of 6-8 to 1 ratio in our Kindergarten Program. All our teaching staff meet or exceed the state's licensing requirements (CCLU).  
   
• How long have your teachers been working at Lamb's?
  Most of our teachers and assistant teachers have been with Lamb's for more than 5 years, some for 10-19 years. We have very little turnover among our staff.
   
• What are expectations for an incoming 3 year old to be "ready" for preschool?
  We want school to be a positive experience for the child.  For many of them this is their first experience with separating from Mom and Dad and forming connections with teachers and peers.  Therefore, we do expect that the child be able to separate from parents without undo stress to him/her (in the beginning tears are completely normal).  We also expect all children to be fully toilet trained.  We do not have the facilities to change diapers or pull ups and all children are expected to attend school in underwear.  To be fully toilet trained means that children are able to tell the teacher they need to go potty BEFORE they are wet.  Teachers, especially in the beginning of the year, will help reinforce potty training skills (help with pulling down clothes and making sure that children are washing hands) but children are expected to know and execute the basics (including wiping).  
   
• How many classes are there?
  We have 3 morning Three-Year-Old classes and 3 morning Four-Year-Old classes. We also have one or two Afternoon Enrichment (AE) classes held each week for our 4-year children (Lamb's students only).  There is one Kindergarten class held each morning for a 3-hour session. Kindergarten Enrichment (KE) is held 3 afternoons each week. Our KE program is open to both Lambs students as well as students who attend other Kindergarten programs, as space is available.
• How many children are in a classroom?
  The preschool consists of two classrooms with an average of 13 children in each class, with one teacher and one assistant teacher for each class. There is one larger classroom with an average of 18 children, one teacher and two assistant teachers. The Kindergarten is composed of a maximum of 22 children with a lead teacher and one or two assistants, depending on enrollment.
   
• ​How do you decide which classroom a child should have?
  We do our very best to balance classrooms (boy/girl ratio and developmental level of students).  We do fill openings on a first-come, first-served basis and register until we are full.  Our Educational Director, Mrs. Gannon, also appreciates parents' input regarding their child's temperament and sociability.  For example, the big room might not be best for a quiet or shy child as it can be overwhelming, too busy and noisy.  We want children to be successful and we use our best judgement in placing children in classrooms.  All the classrooms do operate on the same curriculum and each has dedicated staff that work hard to help children feel safe and accepted.  Parent requests can be made, but we cannot guarantee your request will be granted.

• How do I enroll my child in The Lamb's Workshop?                                                                As stated above we do fill our classrooms on a first-come, first-served basis.  We are happy to add your child to our "Interest List" at any time.  Once on this list, we will contact you the October/November before your child is due to start school and arrange a time for you and your spouse to visit and tour Lamb's (for this first visit without your children if possible).  Our registration period begins in early January for our current families and typically in late January for new families.  Lamb's will contact you when/if a position becomes available for your child.  At that time and in order to secure your child's spot for the fall, a non-refundable registration fee would be due as well as completion of a preliminary registration form.

• How do you incorporate Christianity into the curriculum?        
• Each classroom works hard to incorporate biblical knowledge into all that they do and teach.  The following gives specific examples that have been used.  We try to make Christianity relevant and a natural expression of who we are.  Virtues and life lessons can be beautifully tied in with learning about God's love for us and how we need to honor Him with our hearts and our service to others.  Everything that we teach is age appropriate and tailored for a preschool environment.     
• The three-year old classes begin their meeting time with prayer and recitation of the monthly Bible verse. One of the children gets to lead grace at snack time and there are Bible stories read and discussed each week. 
• Our four-year old classes and Kindergarten students have Chapel once a month where they go upstairs to the main church sanctuary, sing songs, and have a short Bible lesson given by a member of the Bethany Covenant pastoral staff.
• The four-year-old classes learn about the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) during the course of the school year and have a Bible memory verse each month that coincides with this theme. We concentrate on Old Testament Bible stories during the months prior to Christmas and then move on to reading from the New Testament. 
• The Kindergarten class concentrates on several Bible verses each month as well as a devotional time based on each letter of the alphabet. A Bible lesson with a key word starting with a letter from the alphabet. The Kindergarten children are given opportunities to pray each day for their friends, families, and/or whatever is relevant to them that day. 
   
• How do you accommodate for children with food allergies?
  Our policy asks that parents take turns bringing in a snack to share with their child’s class.  Our goal is to make snack time a healthy and allergen-safe part of your child’s school experience. Our hope is to make snack preparation easy and economical for parents.   Lamb’s is a nut-free school.  We ask for your cooperation with any other food-related issues (such as dairy, gluten or other food intolerances or allergies) that might require elimination of certain food items in your child’s classroom.  It is important to note that Lamb’s cannot 100% eliminate the risk of a child encountering an allergen.  However, the administration and faculty will do all we can to keep children safe while feeling accepted and loved.  While we endeavor to do our utmost to ensure each child's safety, we ask that each parent be vigilant in overseeing their child's needs. This is especially important for those who have children with food-related allergies.  
• What do you do for field trips?                                                                                                     Field trips are only applicable for the 4-year-olds and Kindergarteners only.  We offer field trips that complement and reinforce our thematic units. A few examples of possible field trips are: an apple orchard, the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, and the Bedford Fire Station. 
  
  If you have questions not answered here, please contact the main office at 472-2113 or lambsworkshop@gmail.com.