St. John the Evangelist opens new preschool
Streamwood, IL – Sept. 1, 2011: St. John the Evangelist Catholic School welcomed their youngest group of students this year when preschool age children joined the rest of the student body for the first time on Aug. 29, 2011.
The new preschool addresses the need for additional educational opportunities for children ages 3 and 4 in an area where many existing preschool programs are at capacity.
The addition of a pre-school curriculum at St. John the Evangelist School allows parents to enroll their children at one school from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. This program builds a strong foundation for early childhood development that paves the way for improved learning skills throughout grammar school. In addition, the children are taught to cultivate Catholic Christian values starting at an early age. Attending the same school for the duration of grammar school provides students with continuity that builds confidence through strong relationships with their classmates.
Catholic school students traditionally perform above their public school peers on standardized tests. This advantage is seen on test scores as early as the third grade and the lead increases at the junior high level, with Catholic School students outperforming Public School students in all areas of the standardized tests. Smaller class sizes give the students the benefit of more teacher/student interaction.
The new school principal, Mrs. Mary Ellyn Billmeyer has been instrumental in launching the new preschool program. Mrs. Billmeyer brings valuable experience in administrating a preschool curriculum from her 12-year tenure as principal of St. Hubert's Catholic School in Hoffman Estates.
Modifications were made to the school during the summer months to prepare for younger students. A new teacher, Mrs. Lisa May was hired, and the classroom was equipped with educational materials appropriate to a pre-school curriculum. Mrs. May studied at the University of Iowa and received her teaching certificate from National Louis University and has taught PK4 at St. Edmunds in Oak Park.
When asked “What is the most exciting thing about starting a new preschool program?”, Mrs. May stated, “It is a wonderful feeling seeing a student do something that they didn't think they could do on their own; their faces light up and they are so proud of themselves and their work. Today I had a student smile and yell with excitement ‘I did it, Mrs. May!!!”
Response to the new program has been excellent and the inaugural class is now full with 19 students enrolled for the 2011-12 school year. The new preschool program ushers in an era of growth and St. John the Evangelist is a Catholic Christian parish of 2,825 families located in Streamwood Illinois approximately 29 miles northwest of Chicago. The Parish was established in June of 1962, and has been supporting the Catholic Christian community in the Streamwood area for almost 50 years.
development at St. John the Evangelist School.
About St. John the Evangelist
St. John the Evangelist Catholic School has an enrollment of 236 students in pre-K through eighth grade. We provide students with excellent academic opportunities while emphasizing Catholic Christian traditions and values.