Parents as Partners

At Noah’s Ark, we believe that parents are their child’s primary teachers. We encourage every parent to become an integral part of their child’s experience at Noah’s Ark. We make every effort to include each parent by way of:

Open communication between parents and teachers.
A bimonthly newsletter, which includes a calendar of happenings at Noah’s Ark, as well as finger plays and songs that parents can try at home.
The donation of time at home or at school for various events, activities, and celebrations.

“Parent Days.” Each parent is encouraged to schedule a time at least once a year to share his or her child’s world and enjoy the all-too-brief experience at Noah’s Ark.
Parent-teacher conferences are held in late February or early March for children in the 4-Year-Old Pre-Kindergarten Program, and in April for children in the 3-Year-Old Preschool Program. A portfolio and a written progress report of each child are prepared and reviewed at this time.

A parent’s perspective of Noah's Ark Preschool

“Our personal association with Sue Jackson and Noah’s Ark Preschool began back in 2003 when our then 3-year-old son, Michael, was to begin preschool.

For some parents, choosing a preschool program can be a long, arduous, stress-filled search—but that was not the case for us. Even though Michael was our first and only child at the time, our decision on where to send him had been made many years earlier—it was definitely going to be Noah’s Ark Preschool!

We had known of Sue Jackson’s wonderful reputation through other family members and friends whose children had attended Noah’s Ark. So in September of that year, we walked our very shy and reluctant 3-year old through the doors of Noah’s Ark for the beginning of the whole new experience of preschool and all the wonders that a child’s life should be filled with. That would turn out to be the best start we could have given him on the road to his long school career. Right from that very first day and each day thereafter, we could see Michael’s sense of confidence socially and his skills in many other areas begin to emerge and continually grow through the 3-year-old program and then on to the 4-year program the following year. You can imagine how thrilled we were when in 2005 we were blessed with twins who we knew in a few years would also be attending this wonderful school.

Our daughter and son have just finished the 3-year-old program and are about to enter the 4-year-old program this fall. They are also fortunate to be attending Noah’s Ark’s newly added summer session three mornings per week. This has been a great bonus with fun-filled days spent both indoors and out with their friends.

There are many reasons why we feel so strongly and passionate about Sue Jackson and her school as well as her very dedicated assistant, Joyce Donatelli. Most importantly, the sense of security and trust that the children feel while with these teachers is apparent. The children feel free to let their individual personalities shine in a safe environment. Each child is encouraged to learn at their own skill and social level while being taught the values of friendship and respect for other people. The amount of patience, kindness, and love the teachers show toward each child is immeasurable. They have abundant energy and passion for the children and each day teach challenging and creative activities while all the time making it a fun and positive experience.

One of the most important things that Sue feels strongly about is parent involvement. She invites parents and grandparents to volunteer on many occasions in the classroom and to participate on all field trips throughout the year. I have been blessed to have experienced countless days at Noah’s Ark with my children and have witnessed firsthand the commitment of these remarkable teachers. I will certainly treasure these times spent in my preschoolers’ lives. Parents are also encouraged to stay as long as needed if their child is having a stressful time or a bad day, and this is very comforting for both the parents and children.

I have also been impressed with the willingness of the teachers at any time to answer questions, discuss any concerns, or offer suggestions, all with the best interests of our children in mind.

There is no doubt that any child who graduates from Noah’s Ark Preschool is ready for the challenges of kindergarten and beyond. Our family is very grateful to Sue Jackson, Joyce Donatelli, and Noah’s Ark for a truly wonderful preschool experience.”

Peggy Klodzinski (Mike, Michael, Catherine, Brian)