The decision to hold your child(ren) back from Kindergarten for one year can be difficult. To better understand our 5-Year-Old Program and other students' experiences, it may be helpful to read a few testimonials from parents whose children have graduated from this program:
"Our Daughter Grew Academically and Socially"
“I am a parent of three children ages 12, 8 and 6. I understand that I will make many parental decisions in the next 16+ years as my children cross over into adulthood. However, I can honestly say that the best parenting decision that my husband and I have made thus far was holding our daughter back from kindergarten and enrolling her in Zion's 5-Year-Old Program.
What a fantastic year we had! Our family has had other wonderful years at Zion, but the 5-Year-Old Program went above and beyond all our expectations. I am truly amazed at how much our daughter learned and how much fun she had doing it. Our daughter grew more academically and socially last year in the 5-Year-Old Program than our other two children did in their Kindergarten years.
The teachers were amazing and each had an incredible way of reaching all different types of children and bringing out their best. The 5-Year-Old Program and the curriculum are very impressive. I cannot rave enough about my experience and would be happy to share my feelings with anyone that might find my perspective helpful.”
The "K" Family
"The Smartest Decision We Ever Made"
"Choosing to hold our twin girls back because of their summer birthday was a tough decision, but it was the smartest decision we ever made. Mrs. Zak’s 5-Year-Old Program here at Zion was amazing! Our twin girls learned to read, identify and write lowercase letters, counted to 100 — and still found time to learn about the solar system. By the end of the school year, we knew without a doubt, they were ready to take on Kindergarten!
I can’t tell people enough — if you are thinking about holding your child back, do it! It will only help them. And if you are going to hold them back, give them a program that can offer them more — they are worth it. For us, Zion was never just a preschool, but a community of teachers and parents who really cared and wanted more for their kids. You can see it in every child’s smile."
The "F" Family
"This Program Gave Our Son the Skills Needed to Develop and Mature"
"We are so glad that we made the decision to wait an extra year before Kindergarten. Although our son is bright and tall for his age, he has an early June birthday and was immature. After much thought and discussions with his 4-Year-Old Program teacher, Mrs. ‘D’ and other parents who have been in this situation, we enrolled him in the 5-Year-Old Program.
Our son had an amazing year! We are so impressed with the quality of the 5-Year-Old Program and the teachers, Mrs. Zak (certified to teach elementary education) and Mrs. Kehs. This program went beyond all of our expectations.
After a review of the concepts learned in the 4-Year-Old Program, our son eagerly learned so many new things. The class gave him:
- the basic fundamentals of phonics and sounding out words
- improvement of handwriting and forming ‘sentences’ through Kid Writing
- early reading skills and recognizing sight words
- early math concepts of patterns, graphing, money and time
- science concepts such as space and the solar system
Plus, they did so many fun things like extra educational field trips, class ‘marble’ parties earned with good behavior and a service project for U.S. troops in Iraq.
My son was challenged and motivated to learn — something we had not experienced before!
This year, he entered Kindergarten at our local public school — and wow, he's like a different child! He went to school confident in himself, proud of what he can do, excited to learn and eager to make new friends. His year in the 5-Year-Old Program gave him the time needed to mature and develop. He gained the independence skills necessary for Kindergarten, and his academic skills dovetailed perfectly into our public school program.
It brings tears to my eyes as I write this and think about how much my son has grown. We are having a wonderful year in Kindergarten and attribute it to the fantastic 5-Year-Old Program at Zion."
The "S" Family
"Our Twins Emerged Excited About School and Confident in Themselves"
"Our children spent three happy and wonderful years at Zion Lutheran Preschool. The staff provided a very loving, nurturing and safe environment for them while developing their social skills and confidence.
Our twins spent their last year in the 5-Year-Old Program with Mrs. Zak and Mrs. Kehs. The teachers' innovative thinking, patience and advanced curriculum more than prepared them for Kindergarten. Our children emerged from their years at Zion excited about school and confident in themselves.
When my youngest daughter is ready for preschool, Zion is where she will be attending! Thank you to the teaching staff for all you do to make this school a fabulous part of the foundation of young lives."
The "F" Family