St. Michael Preschool

Dear Parents,

For over 40 years, St. Michael Preschool has been a trusted partner for families seeking a faith-filled, high-quality early childhood education. Our mission is to create a safe, nurturing environment where children can grow spiritually, socially, and academically. Through play, socialization, and a focus on the joy of learning, we support the development of the whole child while fostering a deeper love for Jesus.

As a vital ministry of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, we emphasize the importance of spiritual growth as part of the learning journey. Here, children discover their inherent goodness and learn how God is present in their everyday lives.

Participation in our preschool extends beyond the classroom, offering families meaningful opportunities to connect and grow within our vibrant parish community.

In this newsletter, you’ll find an overview of our preschool programs, along with important dates and details about the enrollment period. Click here to start the registration process.

We look forward to welcoming your family to our community!

The teachers and I hope to see your family join us for a wonderful year of "Growing with God." If you should have any questions, please email preschool@stmcary.org or call 919-468-6110.

Open Enrollment for the 2025-26 School Year begins on Saturday, January 25, 2025.

Returning Families, including siblings have priority registration until January 31, 2025.

Joyfully in Christ,

Paula Renke, Director

prenke@stmcary.org

The St. Michael Preschool teachers and staff are thrilled to welcome your family to our preschool community. We look forward to a joyful and rewarding school year filled with love, learning, friendship, and fun!

St. Michael Preschool offers half-day programs for children ages 2-5. Each class has a lead teacher and teacher assistant. Lead Teachers have an education degree or are certified with an early childhood credential. Staff members receive first aid and CPR training and take continuing education classes yearly.

Please join us for one of our Preschool Open House dates where you will have the opportunity to hear all about our programming, and the registration process and take a peek into some of our classrooms. If you plan to attend please RSVP using the link below:

Open House Dates - CLICK HERE to register to attend a 30 minute tour with Q&A

Friday, April 11 at 10:00 or 1:00

Ages 2 - 4 by August 31

Age 5 by October 31

Children in our three, four, and five-year-old programs must be independently toilet trained. NO EXCEPTIONS. Neither pull-ups nor diapers are permitted.

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE INDEPENDENTLY POTTY TRAINED

The director reserves the right to extend the cut-off date for all programs.

Our programs offer a developmentally appropriate curriculum for children ages 2-5, designed to enhance the spiritual, social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth of each child. At St. Michael Preschool, “play is the work of children,” a philosophy supported by leading early childhood researchers. Children participate in hands-on learning activities that engage their curiosity while helping them build self-confidence and learning readiness skills in a fun and safe Catholic community. Faith development, language and literacy, creative expression, music and movement, math, science, as well as fine and gross motor skills are all included in the daily activities.

In addition to regular classroom activities and outdoor play, the children attend music and movement 1-2 days a week, Prayer Mornings in the Church, and Bible stories led by our priests and deacons. A variety of in-house field trips occur throughout the year in order to bring the community to the children as well as provide enrichment in the cultural arts.

The 2’s program offers an opportunity for parents to have time away while their children play and socialize in a safe caring environment. Activities are developmentally appropriate and include building gross motor skills and music and movement.

In the 3’s program, children build their self-esteem and self-confidence while they learn through play. Teachers promote socialization and encourage imaginative, independent, and cooperative play. These activities are enriched with music and stories to learn shapes, colors, and counting while also developing fine and gross motor skills.

The 4’s program consists of an array of thematic units that teach kindergarten readiness skills in a fun, rewarding, and age-appropriate way. Children are encouraged to look for peer relationships, play cooperatively, explore, create, and contribute to group activities. A multi-sensory handwriting approach is utilized and continued development of fine and gross motor skills are integrated.

This program offers a “kinder, gentler” approach for children who would benefit from an extra year to grow before entering a full-day kindergarten. Readiness to learn and question, interest in pretend play, construction and simple games, and utilization of the children’s developing sense of responsibility are all cultivated through this curriculum.

If your child just can’t get enough preschool fun, and loves to learn, explore, and experience all preschool has to offer, Discovery Day is the program for them!

Discovery Days are thematic-based units designed to reinforce your child’s love of learning. We encourage students to wonder, explore, problem-solve, and most of all, have fun! The thematic activities will focus on literacy, art, religion, music, math, and science. Teachers will provide an outline of each class including concepts, vocabulary, and discussion questions so there can be a carryover from school to home.

The program runs from October through May and is open to children ages 3-5. If seats still remain in January, two-year-olds may apply.

EARLY ARRIVAL

This program is available for all enrolled children Monday through Friday beginning at 8:15 am. Please note that breakfast is not served. Students will split their time between the classroom and the playground. Children are escorted to their regular classrooms at 9:25 am.

LUNCH PROGRAM

A lunch program is offered for children in the 3, 4, and 5-year-old classes. Children stay from 12:30-1:30 pm on Monday-Thursday. Students will bring a peanut/nut-free lunch, and weather permitting, will go outside on the playground.

ADVENTURE CAMP

Adventure Camps are offered twice a month, from 12:30 – 2:00 pm. It is offered to all students in a 3, 4, and 5-year-old program. Students will bring a peanut/nut-free lunch, and after eating, will explore, create, and investigate based on the theme for the day.

School Hours: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Early Arrival Begins: 8:15 am

Lunch Program: 12:30 – 1:30 pm

Adventure Camp: 12:30 – 2:00 pm

Extended Day Program Fees

Early Arrival OR Lunch Monthly Commitment Discounted Rate – $8.25 / per program

Early Arrival OR Lunch Daily Drop-in Rate – $10.50 / per program

Adventure Camp Rate – $15.50 / per session

At St. Michael Preschool, we are dedicated to providing a high-quality, faith-filled early childhood education while operating as a balanced budget, not-for-profit program. As we look ahead to the next school year, tuition rate adjustments have been made to account for increases in service, facility, and operational costs.

We remain committed to our exceptional team of experienced and dedicated teachers by including a cost-of-living adjustment to support their invaluable work. These decisions were thoughtfully made in collaboration with our pastor, Fr. Scott McCue, and the St. Michael Church Finance Council.

We deeply appreciate your continued support of our parish preschool and its mission to nurture children in faith, learning, and community.

CLICK HERE FOR TUITION RATES

The Catholic Steward Tuition Rate applications are available to Catholic families who demonstrate stewardship by regularly attending Sunday Mass and serving in the community through the gifts of time, talent, and treasure.

Applications are accepted from St. Michael the Archangel Church families applying for the Stewardship Tuition Rate at the following schools: St. Michael Preschool, St. Michael School, Cardinal Gibbons High School, and other Catholic schools in our area. The Catholic Steward Tuition Rate is granted by St. Michael Church. CLICK HERE for more information on the stewardship criteria and how to apply.

St. Michael Preschool Enrollment for New Families will be accepted beginning January 25th.

Registrations are accepted online with a non-refundable registration fee of $150, plus 1/10 of the tuition to hold your child's seat in our program.

Tuition Refund Information

Refunds of tuition payments for the 2025-26 school year are made only with written notice prior to March 31, 2025.

The $150 application fee in non-refundable.

No refund will be granted after April 1, 2025.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Enrollment priority is given to Returning Students, St. Michael Parishioners, and Parishioners of other Catholic Parishes. In May, enrolled families will receive student orientation information and the school calendar. Class lists and Extended Day Program registration will be made available in August,

Tuition payment installments start in August and will be due by August 31, 2025

Enrollment in any program for which there are more applications than spaces is determined by a lottery. When all spaces in a program are filled, children’s names will be placed on a waitlist.

• Children whose parents are parishioners of St. Michael will be given priority.
• Waitlists do not carry over from year to year. You must reapply annually.

A great deal of thought and planning goes into forming classes. Teacher recommendations for the placement of children for social and/or developmental reasons have top priority. Therefore, requests to place children with specific teachers cannot be honored while considering the best interests of all the children. Finally, it is our policy to consult parents of same age siblings regarding their wishes to have the children placed together or separated.

Unless tuition is paid in full, tuition payments are non-refundable once the school year starts. However, if a family is moving out of the area and preschool has not begun, one-half of the first tuition payment will be refunded if the seat can be filled from our waitlist. Notice of withdrawal must be in writing. If a child is withdrawn during the school year without 30 days' written notice, parents are responsible for paying an additional monthly tuition payment.

To maintain a safe environment for children with life-threatening allergies, snacks or lunches may not contain peanuts/nuts or peanut/nut products. This includes foods that have been produced in a plant with nut products. Please carefully read the labels on the food you send in.

Instagram: @stmpreschoolnc

Facebook: StMichael Preschool - please friend this account and find a link to the Closed Group there to view videos of your child’s class and other fun events.

St. Michael the Archangel Church website

Please Post with #stmichaelpreschool #stmichaelcary #GrowingwithGod

RECOGNIZED BY CARY MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE TOP 3 PRESCHOOLS IN WESTERN WAKE COUNTY!

Email: preschool@stmcary.org
Website: https://stmichaelpreschool.com/
Location: 804 High House Road, Cary, NC, USA
Phone: 919-468-6110