Weekday Ministries

St. Matthew’s UMC Weekday Ministries offers a Mother’s Morning Out/Preschool program and an After-School program licensed by the state of Mississippi.

Mother's Morning Out/Preschool

This weekday ministry is one way we reach our local community for Christ.

Mission Statement
The Mother’s Morning Out (MMO)/Preschool program, as a ministry of St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church, believes each child is a child of God and should have every opportunity to develop physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually to his or her fullest potential.

Philosophy
The MMO/Preschool program of St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church:

• Establishes a warm, loving environment in which each child is given the opportunities to develop a sense of self-worth and to develop his or her own unique gifts.
  
   
• Provides each child with a natural transition from home to school while developing skills to meet new challenges through the use of age-level appropriate activities and materials.
  
   
• Has a commitment to excellence reflecting the highest values, the best of care and the expectation that staff members exemplify Christian ideals in their behavior toward and relationships with each child.
  
   
• Believes that play is fundamental to each child’s learning and to his or her social and emotional development.
  
   
• Has a commitment to good stewardship in the areas of space utilization, fiscal management, materials use and human resources.
  

 
Hours of Operation: 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
On Mondays and Thursdays, we will offer Lunch Bunch. Your child may bring a sack lunch and stay until 1:30 p.m. for an additional $6 fee.

2007-2008 School Year Schedules
Fall Schedule:
August 9                         Open House
August 13                       Return to School
November 19-23              Thanksgiving Holidays
December 21-January 7    Christmas Holidays

Spring Schedule:
January 8                        Return to School
January 21                      Martin Luther King Day
March 17-21                    Spring Break/Easter
May 16                            Last Day of School/End-of-year Program

Ages
Our program includes infants beginning at six weeks of age and goes through 4-year-old kindergarten.

Preschool Curriculum

• Thematic units – a more hands-on approach to teaching, following the Mississippi Board of Education’s benchmarks.
• Units of study during the year will include seasons; weather; holidays; home and family; colors, numbers and letters; community helpers – just to name a few.
• Field trips are only offered to children in the 3- and 4-year-old programs.
• Tentative field trips include: pumpkin patch, zoo, Natural Science Museum.

Fees
1 day a week = $50/month, 2 days = $90/month, 3 days = $120/month, 4 days = $135/month,

5 days = $150/month.

Registration Fee $80

Supply fee $60 ($30 in August & $30 in January)

To enroll or to find out more information, please contact:

Jennifer Heath
Weekday Ministries Director
jennifer@stm-umc.org

Sherrie Kolak
Weekday Ministries Assistant Director
sherrie@stm-umc.org

601-566-2005

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After-School Program

Mission Statement
The After-School Program, as a ministry of St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church, believes that each child is a child of God and should have every opportunity to develop physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually to his or her fullest potential.
 
Philosophy
The St. Matthew’s After-School Program:

• Provides a safe and nurturing environment for school-age children in our congregation as well as our community.
• Creates an enriching environment that serves as a support for not only those children involved, but also to their families.
• Provides a program which is based on our Christian beliefs and social responsibility.
• Seeks to encourage the development of children and give them watchful loving care in a warm, Christian environment.
• Demonstrates God’s message of love expressed through Christ.
  

Vision
Our vision is to enhance the student’s learning with the opportunity to experience enrichment activities, social and emotional activities (through social modeling, activities with staff taking an interest in each and every child), and spiritual formation/development (prayer during snack time, weekly chapel) – while also allowing for play, unstructured activities and down time.

Hours of Operation
2-6 p.m. Monday-Friday;
7 a.m.-6 p.m. when school is out; closed 1/2 day the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, December 26, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day (subject to change based on the year)

Pickup
We pick up from Madison Avenue, Madison Station, Madison Crossing and Madison Middle.

Fees
Summer Program:
Activity Fee   $ 90
Weekly    $100
Activity Fee will cover all needed resources and activities that we provide (daily lessons, worship material and excursions).

Fall Program:
Registration  $ 75
Weekly     $ 50

Supply Fee:
Charged at the time of initial registration rather than charging annually – $50

If for any time a family withdraws, they have to repay their entry fees to be readmitted.

To enroll or to find out more information, please contact:

Jennifer Heath
Weekday Ministries Director
jennifer@stm-umc.org

Sherrie Kolak
Weekday Ministries Assistant Director
sherrie@stm-umc.org

601-566-2005