St. Anthony's Day School
Scholarship Foundation

Program Description

 

 

 

Background

St. Anthony's Day School is a private, family-owned, preschool accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). St. Anthony's is not affiliated with any church or religious group, but it generally reflects Catholic and Christian values. It has been in operation since September 1998 and is funded by tuition payments and owner contributions. The School is committed to meeting the developmental needs of the children entrusted to its care and differs from other childcare centers in its focus on giving children a well-rounded education that includes age-appropriate classical art, music, physical fitness and literature as well as training for social responsibility and respect for God and his creatures. The School provides moral support to parents as needed in the education of their children. Classes are small and offer one-on-one attention. St. Anthony's endeavors to employ the best trained teachers and to offer them incentives for professional development by enrolling in new courses and workshops. Our staff training and development are high quality. Moreover, to attract and retain our staff, we offer competitive salaries and all possible fringe benefits.

St. Anthony's Day School is a successful accredited institution in Alexandria, Virginia, for infants and children up to the pre-kindergarten level. There is a long waiting list for those who wish to attend and can afford the tuition.

Realizing that the benefits of this institution were being enjoyed only by children from families with high incomes, a small group of parents and staff formed a non-profit foundation for the purpose of providing scholarships for children who could otherwise not attend St. Anthony's Day School. The Foundation is approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization as of March 6, 2001.


The Mission Statement of the Foundation is:

To provide scholarships to children from families with financial and/or other needs, as determined by the Board of Directors, in order for them to attend St. Anthony's Day School.


Why a Scholarship Foundation?

Educational research and studies have repeatedly confirmed that children who participate in early education programs consistently do better in elementary and secondary schools. There are, however, simply not enough private or publicly funded early education programs to serve the population. Furthermore, children from low income families stand little or no chance of participating in private early education programs due to the cost of these programs. The outlay for high quality early education programs is normally beyond the resource capabilities of low income households. Yet, these are precisely the programs from which children from low income families would most benefit.


St. Anthony's Day School is adjacent to two large low income housing developments. Many applications have been received from families in these areas; to date, none has been able to afford the tuition.


St. Anthony's Day School

The School believes that children learn in many different ways and works to address all the needs of a child --- spiritual, emotional, intellectual, cultural, social and physical. Each day is planned to be a balance of teacher-directed and child-selected activities that focus on active learning. Language development, music, art, story time, center play, and quiet play are presented daily in a thematic unit. Positive development of the child's self-image is the core of these activities. St. Anthony's staff believe that children should be respected as individuals and encouraged to be independent and self-motivated while learning to be responsible and sensitive to those around them.

Concern for the health and safety of the children is reflected by the safe, clean, and organized environment provided. The staff is trained in first aid, CPR, and well-child assessment. In addition, the School provides: opportunities for children to explore the world outside the center; frequent events to encourage parent participation so they can share in their child's growing and learning; and a support system for families to provide them with daily information on the physical and intellectual growth of their children.


St. Anthony's Day School believes in the importance of building strong and happy families. The School respects the right of parents to determine what is best for their children. Effective communication between parents and staff is fostered by an open door policy. Parents are invited to drop by at any time during the day to visit their child, share lunch, or visit the park across the street. The School strongly urges those parents who can to volunteer in helping with playtime activities and field trips. Since opening its doors in 1998, St. Anthony's has grown and developed into one of the best early education centers in the City of Alexandria. The Alexandria City Council has visited St. Anthony's and complimented it as a model preschool.

The School has 22 full-time employees with six of these being teachers, 13 assistant teachers, one office manager, one housekeeper and one maintenance chief. The School enjoys the assistance, as well, of volunteers who are either parents of students in the school or parents of children seeking to enter the school.

St. Anthony's Day School Relationships with Other Organizations

The City of Alexandria provides scholarship and training funding for several of the School's lead teachers.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children has recognized the School and awarded it accreditation status since its inception. The School is currently undergoing its periodic reaccrediation process.

During the 2000 school year, St. Anthony's was selected to participate in the Early Education Arts Program offered by The Wolf Trap Theater for the Performing Arts. The School applied for renewed participation during 2001, but federal funding for this program was discontinued.

 

Application Forms in English and Spanish

English Form (MS Word)

English Form (Adobe PDF)

Spanish Form (MS Word)

Spanish Form (Adobe PDF)