Children's House
The St. Mary Children’s House program (for preschool and kindergarten children ages 3-6) is designed to be the first step in a great Catholic education.
With a Montessori-based curriculum guided by the Diocese of Columbus and the Ohio Department of Education, our preschool staff is highly qualified in early childhood education. Dedicated to yearly in-service training on child development, our St. Mary Children’s House teachers are licensed and also have a Montessori diploma.
Our goal is to provide a safe, loving, Christian atmosphere where our staff nurtures each child at their individual level of development. Children are encouraged to experience learning at their own speed. Our teachers and aides understand that children enter our program with their own unique set of skills and experiences.
Children will leave our St. Mary Children’s House with early literacy and math skills, as well as social skills and a greater sense of the world around them. St. Mary students will be given opportunities to use and share existing skills and learn new skills that will foster self-confidence, personal respect, individuality, and a love of learning.
Children’s House Program
We are excited to offer limited spots in our preschool through kindergarten Children’s House! This Montessori-based program is a strong foundation for your young scholar. Every program includes:
- daily Montessori 3-hour work cycle and recess,
- as well as access to the Atrium (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd -“CGS”).
Full day programs also include:
- lunchtime (hot lunch is available).
- Kindergarten students will have an additional daily Montessori 3-hour work cycle,
- while preschool children (ages 3-5) have the opportunity to nap or rest in the afternoon followed by more activities and additional recess.
Monday through Friday Options:
7:50am to 11:40am
7:50am to 3:00pm
Monday through Wednesday Options:
7:50am to 11:40am*
7:50am to 3:00pm*
*This program option is only for our new 3 year old preschool students.
Our Children’s House is currently full for the 2025-2026 school year. New interested families may apply for the 2026-2027 school year starting on December 1, 2025. Acceptance is conditional upon the results of the screening and interview process. Learn more about the application process at St. Mary School.
My daughter currently attends Children’s House at St. Mary School. She has grown so much socially, emotionally, and academically during her time there. She loves her teachers and peers, frequently speaking fondly of them and praying for them at bedtime. She looks forward to going each day and is disappointed on days off. Through her teachers’ care and support, she is beginning to read, write, and has a spark ignited within her for geography and math. Above all else, her love of Jesus has grown exponentially, with her coming home excited to share songs, prayers, and thoughts about what she has learned about her faith that day. We are fortunate to have our daughter at Children’s House this year and look forward to our youngest attending it soon, as well!
Our family has been blessed to experience the Children’s House this year in its inaugural year at St. Mary. Aiden is our third child to attend St. Mary for preschool and we have always had a great relationship with the staff and programs offered to our children at St. Mary. To be truthful, my husband and I entered into this year with a lot of questions as to what the Children’s House would offer our son, and how his experience may be different from our other two kids. We enrolled him with a lot of Faith and continued prayer. Our God answered a lot of prayers with this program! We have watched our son grow in confidence, independence, and academics exponentially since the beginning of the school year. He transitioned from being fearful of the change in routine that comes with going to school to quickly coming to love the teachers and everything the classroom and the school day had to offer. Every day, he comes home all abuzz with what the events of the day were. Whether demonstrating his meticulous pouring skills, showing us how the Priest sets up the altar that he learned/practiced in their classroom Atrium, or reciting Psalm 29 by heart! Our family has been witness to this incredible program of learning, socialization, and practical life applications rooted in our Catholic Faith. We continue to be amazed and are so excited about what the future holds for our son, the Children’s House, and the rest of St. Mary School!
Children's House Resources
FAQ
What is a "Children's House"?
The Children’s House is the Montessori term for ‘Classroom’. So, when we say that we now have 3 ‘Children’s Houses’, that means that we have 3 classrooms for our preschool/pre-k/ kindergarten kids this coming 2024-2025 academic year. This is a huge growth from having only one last year! Each Children’s House has about 20-24 kids ranging in ages 3-6 years old, and requires a Montessori Teacher and an aide.
Is there tuition assistance available for the Children's House?
Yes!
Our kindergarten students may apply for EdChoice and the Emmaus Road Scholarship (through FACTS) after they have been accepted into the 2024-2025 program.
For our preschool and pre-K students, we are excited to offer the GRACE Scholarship. Please apply for the GRACE scholarship through FACTS after your enrollment has been confirmed.
