Eastminster Day School

Mission: To live out our baptismal vows by providing high quality Christian-based education, development, and care for young children of Eastminster Presbyterian Church and the community

Accomplishments in 2019:

• Enrolled 179 students from Infants – School Age children • Added a Spanish class curriculum for 2 through 4 year old children • Conducted continuing education on Creative Curriculum led by

Charlotte Rice, Consultant from Teaching Strategies • Continued with First Steps Excel training in the Nursery, Toddler and

Twos Program and extending the program to include the Threes • After School program currently serving four (4) schools and the enrollment has increased 58 percent • Continued having joint staff appreciation and Christmas luncheons with EDS staff and EPC staff • EDS finances remain in a healthy state • Communication with the parents has improved with the implementation of EDS Express • Proposed a renovation plan to upgrade the younger playground to the Session which was approved.

The renovation will take place in November and December of 2019 • Purchased and upgraded many of the classrooms with new furniture and equipment

Goals for 2020:

• Allow teachers to observe and visit other learning centers utilizing Creative Curriculum • Revise the school calendar to balance the needs of full time & part time families, time off for staff, time to clean facilities, and for professional development • Install “phase 2” of playground structures, specifically in regard to a soft surface for the younger kids’ playground and a large shaded area for older kids’ playground • Update the EDS curriculum and associated professional development goals • Grow the enrollment of the After School program to reach 20 -25 children • Continue to replenish reserve fund by adding $25,000-$50,000 to the fund in 2020 • Update the strategic plan developed in 2016 • Build deeper relationships with the families through improved communications • Build staff morale • Continue working with First Steps to encourage best practices within the Nursery, Toddler, and Two classrooms • Create a staff schedule that coincides with best practices (primary caregivers) • Hire committed staff that will develop deeper relationships with the children • Evaluate current pay structure of staff and adjust salaries as necessary to ensure EDS is competitive with other day schools in our area • Continue to find opportunities for EPC staff and EDS staff to interact with one another and build relationships • Continue to build each classroom library with additional books for the children • Research and explore the need and possibility of public relations and/or advertisement for EDS tailored for teacher recruitment

Want to know more?

EDS Chair: Simpson Fant (2020) - simpsonfant@parkerpoe.com Eastminster Staff Support: Douglass Key, Jenny Smith & Lucy Corley