The vision for the Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy preschool program is to provide a happy, safe, loving, Christian environment, with the highest quality care possible to preschool-aged children, in a setting where children can reach their full potential in kindergarten readiness.   Our goals are:

1. to facilitate age appropriate opportunities and activities in spiritual, physical, social, cognitive and language development; 

2. to provide an atmosphere where children can grow in their relationship with God; 

3. to generate in each child the value and dignity of life and respect for self and others; and 

4. to nurture a warm, caring and supportive environment that enhances self-esteem and a positive attitude 

Your child’s program will incorporate a wide variety of experiences in math, language, art, pre-reading skills, movement and music. Our preschool teachers will provide exciting themes based on the interests of the children to promote cognitive, socially, emotional, language and physical development. Choice, challenge, creativity and care guide our program. All teaching is done at learning centers located in a bright and cheery classroom.

Our Lady of Grace preschool teachers follow spiritual objectives rooted in the Catholic faith and church calendar. The preschool children are exposed to the weekly Gospel so that they understand the Word of the Lord through experience and environment. All instruction integrates Catholic faith and moral principles and takes place in a warm, loving and accepting environment that celebrates our faith and the love of God.

Our Lady of Grace Offers a Half-Day and Full-Day preschool environment, Monday through Friday. Both programs begin at 8:00 a.m. The half-day program dismisses at 11:30 and the full-day program dismisses at 3:00. Children in the full-day program have lunch, naptime, and recess. 

Morning Meeting: activities includes a welcome to school song, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance.

Snack: a nutritious snack is provided with milk or juice.

Calendar Math:provides real-life opportunities to use math concepts such as time, counting, patterns, number recognition and verbal/visual correspondence.

Reading Centers: includes letter from the teacher, read alouds and science and social study activities introduced in “mini-lessons.”

Literacy Centers: - small group activities that focus on letter sounds, letter recognition, rhyming and other pre-reading skills.

Math Centers: - small group activities focusing on patterning, numbers, verbal/visual correspondence, shapes and sorting.

Lunch, Rest, Recess: Children attending the half-day program will be picked up by their parents before lunch.  Full day students will have lunch and an afternoon rest time.   

Poetry Time: a large group activity using poetry to focus on pre-reading skills.

Religion: in large group the students learn more about God and His love for us.

Snack: nutritious snack provide with juice.

Centers: students are invited to play individually or in small groups at area through. 

Children entering preschool must be three years of age as of September 1.  A copy of a child's birth certificate must be presented when registering a child. Children are required by law to have a current physical examination. 

Our Lady of Grace currently has two preschool classrooms which are taught by a Teacher and Classroom Aide, who are certified by the State of Illinois, Department of Education.  

For more information about the Preschool Program, please contact us to schedule your tour!