St. Catherine's Preschool

Fill out the Preschool Interest Form to receive more information.

We are currently registering children for the 2023-2024 school year.

Come Play With Us!

St. Catherine's Preschool is a ministry of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church. Our program serves families of children 2 – 5 years old. All preschool classes have two teachers. Our small classes use an emergent curriculum based on developmentally appropriate activities. Our teacher-to-student ratio is smaller than the Texas standards. Our program also includes Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and Faith & Fun. We welcome diversity in race, religion, and socioeconomic status.

• This year we have added a hands-on program that teaches catechesis at a young age called The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. This is a Montessori-based program that is rooted in Scripture and the liturgy. In addition, we will visit the Atrium, formally known as the Adoration Chapel, weekly. The Atrium is a specially prepared place for children to learn and hear the voice of the Good Shepherd through playful prayer. 
• A giant sandbox is a new addition to our playground, with materials for diggers and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).
• We also added a SECOND preschool playground with turf. We focus on large gross motor activities such as ride-on toys, tricycles, balls, and more! This gives our preschoolers more time outside to play and learn together.
• Our building has increased security, and staff are enrolled in emergency preparedness training.

We would love to show you around our wonderful preschool! Call us to set up a time to visit Tuesday through Thursday. If you would like to see a prerecorded Virtual Tour, email Camille Parker for more information.

Our mission at St. Catherine's Preschool is to take advantage of the teachable moments that happen every day by fostering our children's intellectual, creative, social, emotional, and physical growth and development to inspire a lifelong commitment to learning. We believe all children can learn and thrive in a stimulating, encouraging, comforting, and developmentally appropriate learning environment. In addition, we provide a loving, safe, spiritual environment of belonging, self-worth, and self-confidence.

We believe in the value of children learning to be part of a community. This means that being a part of the classroom community involves meeting for large groups at points during the day, such as story time. Special classroom activities and rituals help children feel included and create a special bond between child-to-child and child-to-teacher.

We believe children learn best through self-directed play. Therefore, large parts of our day will involve child-directed play outdoors and inside the classroom. Children wonder better, move easier, and learn to be better stewards of God's kingdom when they spend a good part of their day outdoors. Extended play, facilitated by caring, compassionate, and curious teachers, develops children's cognitive and social skills.

We believe that quality early childhood education can be a little messy and a little noisy. If you walk into one of our classrooms on any morning, you will see children actively guiding their play with toys and open-ended materials. Teachers sit with and near children, observing, asking questions, and supporting their play by setting the stage and creating a safe and inviting environment ready for exploration and fun. 

What is Play-Based Learning?
In a play-based program, children choose activities based on their current interests. The term "play-based" is often interchanged with "child-centered," which could describe most available preschool programs. The play-based classroom is divided into sections, such as dramatic play, sensory table, library, building blocks, other toys, or other areas. Teachers encourage the kids to play, facilitating social skills along the way. "Even though it seems like they are just playing, they are learning valuable skills, including important social skills and cooperation with others, learning about signs (as most items are labeled), and early math," says Jenifer Wana, author of "How to Choose the Best Preschool for Your Child." 

"Chaos doesn't necessarily reign in a play-based preschool, but there will be play, and there will not be silence. Discussion between teachers and students is ongoing. Teachers will encourage kids to play and facilitate ongoing opportunities for learning along the way while teaching concepts through songs and games. You can likely expect a few structured learning times, but teacher-supervised free play is the name of the game."

If you want to donate to St. Catherine's Preschool, please visit our Amazon Wish List at http://a.co/0qNMLXp.