Child-Centered Learning
School for Little People of Wichita Falls is an exceptional place for children ages one through five to grow and develop. Since our beginning in 1965, our purpose has been to aid self-discovery by allowing and encouraging children to explore and experience their environment.
School for Little People (SLP) is a child-centered program, based on the best practices of early childhood education. Our philosophy is deeply rooted in our conviction that children are gifts from God. We are their guides as they discover and explore the world around them, and they are worthy of our respect and our best efforts every minute we are with them.
Our directors and staff are qualified, well-trained, and inventive teachers dedicated to early childhood professionalism and committed to excellence in all areas of our school.
It is our desire to aid children in the knowledge that they are unique and important people who are loved and able to love in return. Each child has only this moment developmentally, physically, socially, and intellectually. Then the child moves on, and the chance to pass on what one needs is gone. It is, therefore, our responsibility as parents, teachers, and caregivers to make every day, in every way count for each child.
Faculty
Our faculty is composed of dedicated professionals in the field of Early Childhood Education. We encourage each of them to continually hone their skills through workshops, professional development, and continuing education classes to further their understanding of child development. We encourage them to be innovative and intuitive in their classrooms. Our teachers mirror the curiosity of their students to allow for student-led exploration and discovery of the world around them.
Every lead teacher is a certified Early Childhood professional. Their qualifications meet the standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and exceed those set by the state of Texas. Our diverse faculty provides a blend of experience and knowledge that brings a richness of creativity to our students.
Administrative Staff
Kathy Jackson, School for Little People Director
Lance Richardson, Business Director
Curriculum
The curriculum of School for Little People is firmly play-based.
Our goal is to provide developmentally appropriate environments and activities that enhance learning and social interactions between the children. Students participate in activities to promote social, physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual development. Each classroom implements centers that include art, science, reading, writing, math, and dramatic play.
Chapel
Classes attend Chapel twice a month in which the FUMC Children’s Ministry Director, Kim English, leads the children in a short Christian Lesson.
Field Trips and Special Events
Field trips and special guests are an important part of early childhood learning experiences. All events are planned by our School for Little People Director and are within walking distance of the school.
Community Service
Classes participate in the church’s annual Fall Food Drive by collecting donations for Interfaith Outreach Services.
More About Our Curriculum
We believe school should be a place where learning is a joy. We believe that play is the “work” of children. It is through play that children sort, work through, and come to terms with or form new understandings about their immediate environment, social relationships, and their larger world. The National Association for the Education of Young Children upholds the validity of this philosophy.
We believe that the four areas of growth recognized by Early Childhood educators everywhere—physical, intellectual, emotional, and social—are of equal value and, indeed, are so inextricably linked that they cannot be separated and dealt with individually in lessons or exercises. Our curriculum is designed to educate the whole child, rather than focus on intellectual growth. Every classroom environment, learning center, or lesson must allow children to grow in all areas and our staff can recognize, facilitate, and guide that growth in a positive direction.
What does this mean?
Your child will learn about letters and writing, take the first steps toward reading, and learn to count, recognize, and manipulate numbers, colors shapes, etc., but these subjects will be approached in ways that are meaningful to and often suggested by the child.
At School for Little People, we do not use worksheets or parroted memorized lessons. We believe that children are capable of much more than a few memorized phonics lessons or counting exercises. They can count to 50 and understand what 50 of something is and how it is different from 10 of something. We believe children can assign meaning to the printed word, that they can truly understand how letters can form words and words can be used to expand language and communication. To do this, though, they must be allowed to experiment, manipulate, and discover without a teacher-directed, “my way or the highway,” approach.
We believe concrete ideas have more meaning for children; therefore, we begin with the concrete, a child’s name or a friend’s name for instance, and work toward the abstract, i.e. the letters that make up that name. In this way children are interested and captivated by the process of writing, counting, or reading and a desirable product can develop naturally, much like the process of learning to speak or walk.
Indoor and Outdoor Facilities
Our indoor facilities are child-centered, child-sized, and child-friendly. When the weather does not permit outside play, the Atrium is used for activities that target the use of large motor skills with riding/pushing toys, balls, and climbing activities.
The Play Park is located at the corner of 11th and Travis Street and is composed of active and quiet zones with open-ended materials for the children to experience a safe, fun, and creative environment. We have climbing, sliding, swinging, and even musical elements for the children to let their imaginations run wild.
Over the years, the park has seen many transformations, with our most recent equipment upgrade completed in 2023. We continually update and maintain the park with the help of our School for Little People parents and church volunteers.
School Schedule
School for Little People is open Monday through Friday. Classes begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m. Before-School Care is available beginning at 7:15 a.m., and After-School Care is available from 3:15 to 5:00 p.m. Half-Day Care is available with pick-up at noon.
Generally, we follow the calendar for the Wichita Falls ISD, with the school year running from mid-August through late May.
Half-Day Schedule (Noon Pick-Up)
| Time | Activity |
| Child Arrival and Independent Activities | |
| 10 min | Opening/Line Time |
| 15 min | Circle Time |
| 60 min | Centers/Small Group Time |
| 15 min | Snack Time |
| 15 min | Circle Time (science and math activities) |
| 30 min | Outdoor Time |
| 15 min | Circle Time |
| 10 min | Closing/Reflection |
Full-Day Schedule (3:00 p.m. Pick-Up and After School Care)
| Time | Activity |
| 30 min | Lunch Time |
| 15 min | Read Aloud |
| Max 1.5hrs | Rest Time |
| 15 min | Circle Time/Dismissal for 3:00 p.m./Transition Time |
| 15 min | Snack Time |
| 30 min | Outdoor Time |
| 30 min | Centers |
| 10 min | Closing Reflection |
Enrollment
School for Little People is available for students ages 1—5. Under the Texas public school age requirement, children must be the age of the class they wish to attend before September 1. For example: a child wishing to enroll in the two-year-old class must be two years old before September 1.
Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis based upon the following order:
- First United Methodist Church of Wichita Falls Registered Members
- Current SLP Families
- New Pre-K Registrants
Parents/guardians must submit all of the below-requested forms, along with the nonrefundable enrollment and supply fee for enrollment consideration. Contact the school office for 2024-2025 availability.
Enrollment for the 2024-2025 School Year
Registration for FUMC church members and families that have children currently enrolled at SLP begins February 20 at 7:00 a.m. New family open enrollment begins February 27 at 5:30 p.m.
Forms
Contact Us
Phone: 940-766-0575
Email: slp@fumcwf.org