On June 1, 2025 we will transition to also offer full day program for children 8 weeks -4 year. Central's Children's Center, under the direction of Glenda Thomas, is a five-day preschool program for children ages one through four. The purpose of the Central Children’s Center is to encourage the development of the preschool child and to give preparation for kindergarten – with emphasis on social, e
motional, physical, cognitive, and spiritual development of the preschool child. The preschool uses developmentally appropriate activities to encourage the child to progress at his or her own rate. We believe that working with children “where they are” and concentrating on the year at hand make for a healthy, happy child.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
DAILY SCHEDULE
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Central's Children's Center offers classes five days a week for ages 1 through PreK4. The school year begins August 11, 2017, and ends on May 24, 2018 for summer break. A summer program may also be available. Our day begins at 8:25 a.m. Monday - Friday. Students who require earlier drop-off can apply for our early bird program (as availability allows) which begins at 8:00 am. Classes end at noon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Mondays and Thursdays, classes end at 1:00 p.m., and the children are fed a sack lunch from home. For parents' convenience, we provide a drop-off and pick-up line at the beginning and end of each school day.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ACTIVITIES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Children participate in arts and crafts, language and vocabulary activities, fine and gross motor activities, perception skills, pre-math activities, sensory experiences, songs and fingerplays, dramatic play, and free play. Three and four year old children also participate in music class twice a week. The children present a program at Christmas and at the end of the year, which includes songs, dances, and scripture recitations. Field trips are a fun part of our year, as are classroom parties. In the spring we hold a Trike-A-Thon event which raises money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
LOCATION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Central's Children's Center entrance is located on 23rd Avenue between the Chapel and the Sanctuary of Central United Methodist Church in downtown Meridian (1004 23rd Avenue). This entry is passcode protected. If you would like to visit our school, you may ring the doorbell for entry.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
LICENSING INFO
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Center is licensed by the Mississippi Dept of Health and is approved for 100 students. However, we believe students learn and perform better in smaller classes. Our ideal daily attendance is 82 students due to our smaller classes. These children comprise eight classrooms led by eight teachers with four teacher’s assistants.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT DIRECTOR GLENDA THOMAS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
EMAIL: [email protected]
PHONE: 601-693-0830
