Montessori Program Thrives In Gap

"Back in 2010, members of the (Old Road Mennonite) Church felt led to start a preschool, so they started to pray about it to see what they felt God might want to have happen here," said Pam Supplee, director of the New Life Community Preschool, located in Old Road Mennonite Church, 5795 Old Philadelphia Pike, Gap.

Starting the school was an act of faith, according to Supplee, who noted that two weeks before the first semester in 2011, the school had no students. "They said to God, 'We know this is what you want us to do, but there are no children,'" she reported. "By the time preschool started, they had seven kids for the first class."

Supplee, who ran a traditional preschool in Gap prior to becoming director, said that the group chose to be a Montessori school for a number of reasons. "They wanted to offer a blended class of 3- to 5-year-olds, but teach each of the kids where they are at," explained Supplee. "The Montessori (model) fit into that dream to be able to do that." Supplee returned to college to study the Montessori method and was hired at New Life in 2014. The school uses the Youth With A Mission curriculum. "Montessori fits very well with that curriculum and what it teaches," said Supplee.

Currently, the school serves 14 students with four staff members each Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday morning. According to Supplee, much of the learning involves students working individually on projects, although crafts are done in groups. Montessori emphasizes real-life skills, such as pouring, how to walk and talk appropriately in a classroom, self-care, respect for the environment, and social graces, including when to apologize. Much of the learning is active. For instance, fine motor skills may be taught by working with locks, using tongs, and using glue sticks. Senses are enhanced by working with sound jars to distinguish and match sounds or with fabrics to group those that feel similar.

Academic instruction is also active, with manipulatives used to learn numbers and activities adjusted to a child's age in learning letters and penmanship. As children learn individually, they come to think of their projects as their work. "The goal is (to) normalize getting a project and working (independently) without teacher help," said Supplee, who noted that students, are also taught how to behave in groups so they are prepared for classroom situations in public or private school. "By the end of the year, they do most everything by themselves," said Supplee of the students who often attain a level of responsibility not normally expected of that age group.

Supplee explained that the founders were intentional in naming the school. "They chose the name New Life Community Preschool, and our logo is a tree with the roots and branches," said Supplee. "A child is like a tree that needs strong roots and a foundation to be able to branch out," she said, noting that the goal of New Life is to be nurturing to those children it serves.

Readers who would like to learn more may visit https://newlifecommunitypreschool.weebly.com or call 717-723-8616.