From the Headmaster

from The 1600 Magazine - Fall 2015

by St. Philip's School & Community Center

Senior Services

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Meet Early Childhood Director – Mrs. Michella Young

Great things lie ahead for St. Philip’s School and Community Center and our PreK2 – Kindergarten students under the leadership of our new Early Childhood Director, Michella Young, and her exceptional team of creative, dynamic and professional educators. Mrs. Young joined St. Philip’s faculty in 2010 as a PreK4 teacher. She quickly became a lead teacher, exhibiting consistent excellence, innovation and a passion for Early Childhood students.

“I love where God has ordered my steps in the Early Childhood program,” says Mrs. Young, the mother of five children, two of whom are St. Philip’s students. “My motto is: All children can learn when given the opportunity to try.” It is this sincere expectation of excellence that permeates throughout the Crystal Charity Ball Early Childhood Wing at St. Philip’s, encouraging and challenging the minds of our youngest students about the world around them.

St. Philip’s Leverages Gradus Gift to Strengthen Early Childhood Program

Gradus, one of St. Philip’s newest partners, has made a generous four year commitment of $1 million to foster an expansion of St. Philip’s enrollment. Through their support, St. Philip’s was able to hire an Early Childhood Director, additional teaching assistants, expand curriculum, and offer an increase in tuition assistance to more families. Additionally, St. Philip’s was able to leverage Gradus’ immense support specifically within our Early Childhood Program where we see a burgeoning enrollment, by securing support for teachers and other Early Childhood needs from Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation, The George and Fay Young Foundation, and Mike and Mary Terry Foundation.

Gradus invests in impactful non-profit organizations in the Dallas area that encourage children and their families to live lives of meaning, to empower each individual to use their God-given gifts and talents to reach their highest potential, and to pursue excellence in school, in work and in life. The organization’s other current community partners include West Dallas Community School, Uplift Gradus Preparatory, The Birthday Party Project and Zero to Five Funders Collaborative.

Tawanna Birdine, Nucleus Johnson, and Tamara Jones, our new Early Childhood teaching assistants are making a big impact in the classroom

Research has shown that much of what you need to succeed in life is established before you enter kindergarten. For years, St. Philip’s has witnessed the undeniable benefits of a quality Early Childhood education. St. Philip’s Early Childhood students make up a little over half of the School’s student body. With this exciting growth mode, we now have three sections of Kindergarten!

Early Childhood education at St. Philip’s is not daycare, but school. Our youngest learners are provided a dynamic curriculum based, full day of school that fosters the concept that academic excellence and success begins at birth. Our curriculum and holistic approach to teaching opens their formative minds to early math, science and reading concepts. Additionally, there are enrichment activities for all early childhood students that include Technology, Music, Spanish, Art, Library, & Physical Education. By Kindergarten – if not sooner - our students are confidently reading, writing, doing arithmetic, and stand on a solid foundation for success.

“Gradus’ generosity inspires us to look forward to growing into our full potential and capacity over the next four years,” says Headmaster, Dr. Terry Flowers. “This is a tremendous blessing!”

Veteran educator, Zaneta Williams, joins St. Philip’s faculty as a 3rd Grade teacher. In 2008, Williams was one a few teachers from Texas to participate in a four year study by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to measure effective teachers. Ms.

Williams has proven herself to be a truly dynamic and effective educator. “All students can learn, it just takes time to reach them,” she explains. “I’m a proponent for the use of the Arts in learning and teaching. Incorporating visual and performance art in my classroom enables me to reach all learning modalities.”