Preschool

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. Mark 10:13-16

WELCOME
Welcome to the Village Lutheran Church Preschool. Our warm, caring preschool is small by design, serving families in the heart of the village of Ladue since 1979. It is our joy to share the love of Christ and provide a nurturing environment for children ages two through five.

OUR MISSION
Reflecting the Love that Christ has shown to us, Village Lutheran Church Preschool seeks to provide a safe and loving early childhood educational environment, where children are nurtured to grow spiritually, physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially. 

OUR SCHOOL
Village Lutheran Church Preschool is home to three classrooms: the Fish Room for ages 2 and 3, the Bug Room for ages 3 and 4, and the Croc Room for ages 4 and 5. We also boast a dedicated art room and indoor activity playroom, as well as a well-equipped and fenced playground with a winding bike path.  The school year runs from September to May. School morning begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 11:45 a.m.  Extended Day, or Lunch Bunch available to potty trained children, dismisses at 2:45. Lunch ONLY Bunch ends at 1:00 p.m.

OUR STAFF
Our teachers and staff are carefully chosen to focus on the individual and unique needs of preschoolers:

Preschool Director - Nicole Tanney
About Nicole:  Nicole is a graduate of Concordia University, Nebraska and also received her Master’s degree in Teaching and Learning from Concordia University, Wisconsin.  She holds a license in K-12 Art Education and a license in Elementary Education. She has been working in early childhood classrooms for over seven years and loves seeing this age group grow.  While she misses being in the classroom, she enjoys being able to support the teachers and parents in a new way!  Some of her favorite preschool activities include teaching the kiddos silly songs and sharing the love of Christ through songs and stories.  Nicole and her husband moved to St. Louis so that her husband could attend the Seminary to become a pastor.  They have two daughters and a son and are loving living in St. Louis! 

Fish Teacher (2s and 3s) - Berkley Rallo
About Berkley:  Berkley has been the Fish teacher for 3 years. With a degree in social work, she loves working with young children.  She has built many of the features in the Fish room herself! Her favorite part about working at VLCP is the sense of community among the families and their giving hearts, including generous donations to local charities. In the classroom she loves to read Pete the Cat, The Honey Bee and the Robber, and Dragons Love Tacos. 

Bugs Teacher (3s and 4s) - Kim Luongo
About Kim:  Kim is married with 4 adult children and has been at VLCP for 10 years.  She has a degree in early childhood education from the University of Kansas.  Her favorite part about teaching at VLCP is watching the children develop throughout the school year.  She loves reading The Three Little Pigs and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and laughing with the kids at the rhyming and humor.  Her favorite Bible verse is "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God." 

Crocs Teacher (4s and 5s) - Kristi Marriott
About Kristi:  Kristi and her husband, Jim, have two children, Joel (13) and Kirstin (10). Kristi has a Masters degree in Early Childhood Development and Education.  As the Crocs teacher, Kristi loves to guide her students to make connections and figure out their learning. Watching the lightbulb light up in her students’ faces brings a great joy.  Kristi loves to share the love of Jesus everyday while teaching at VLCP.  Her favorite part of the classroom is reading with her students, especially The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  

OUR CURRICULUM
Learning through play is a key component of our curriculum, in everything we do.  We strive to prepare children for years beyond preschool, by developing their academic skills, nurturing their social and emotional development, and instilling them with truth.  All classes provide plenty of opportunities to discover, explore, and be challenged through open-ended activities. In addition to exploration and play centered on various themes, we integrate the following curriculums into our classrooms:  Learning Without Tears and One In Christ. 

ENROLLMENT INFORMATION
Please email preschool@villagelutheranchurch.org to request an enrollment packet, which includes tuition information and more. 

​OUR FRAMEWORK
Village Lutheran Church Preschool is a ministry outreach of Village Lutheran Church of Ladue, a member of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.  The standard of operation of the preschool is founded upon and directed by the “In His Hands” resource manual.  The Board of Christian Education of Village Lutheran Church oversees the preschool, at the administration of the congregation.