Indicators of Excellence
Indicators of excellence in the ACS Early Childhood Programs
- Qualified teachers and support staff; many have been with us 10+years or longer. Lead teachers have degrees in education or early childhood learning. We believe we are able to have such a great program due to our strong teacher commitment and stability in their stays here.
- Developmentally appropriate practices, toys, and more.
- Love on all children appropriately.
- Continual teacher and staff training and workshop opportunities in the early childhood field.
- Classrooms that encourage independence, learning, and exploring in God’s world. Wide variety of resources, toys, books and more available for age-appropriate learning.
- Meeting the needs of each child whether they are gifted in certain areas or require more assistance in some areas.
- A well-defined curriculum with specific goals and objectives for each age – one that is constantly being refined and changed accordingly.
- Accredited by CSI (Christian Schools International)
- Licensed by the state of MI.
- Aligned and connected with a PK-8th grade learning environment; making sure that each grade/class is unique in what they learn. Also incorporating big friends into the children’s learning throughout the year, use of the gym and other parts of the building, exposure to activities that the other grades perform and more.
- Safe and secure facility that is overseen by a director and co-director, principal, and school board, and that is staffed appropriately for the number of children in school.
- Weekly newsletters, monthly calendars, occasional e-mails that keep you connected to your child’s learning and the school community.
- Opportunities for you to be involved in your child’s learning.
- Yearly parent-teacher conferences and progress notes to assess your child’s learning.
Getting to Know God's World
Each year, for one month, all students immerse themselves in learning about a specific foreign country. Past countries have included:
- Mexico
- Honduras
- Switzerland
- Korea
- the Netherlands
- the USA
- Africa
Throughout the month, children are exposed to the language, foods, animals, dress, games, and more about the specific country. Often times, guest speakers or special field trips are scheduled for the month as well. This highlighted time in the year helps all of us think outside of ourselves and focus on others while learning a variety of things.