Submitted by Autumn Boyer
School Type: Private Parent Participation Preschool and Transitional Kindergarten
Triangle Presbyterian Preschool and Kindergarten (TPPK), a ministry of Triangle Presbyterian Church, offers half-day programs for 2-year-olds through transitional kindergarten:
- Two-day 2’s (Age 2 by 8/30): MW or TTh, 1:5 ratio, two classes
- Three-day 3’s (Age 3 by 8/30): TWTh, 1:5 ratio, two classes
- Four-day Pre-K (Age 4 by 8/30): MTWTh, 1:6 ratio, two classes
- Five-day TK (Age 5 by 11/15): MTWThF, 1:7 ratio, one class
The school day is 9:15am-12:15pm with an optional Lunch Bunch until 1:15pm for an additional $5/child/day
Most notably, TPPK is a parent participation program. The professionally trained teachers are assisted in the classroom by parents on a rotating schedule (except for the TK). Parents also take on an additional responsibility during the year such as setting up tables for a potluck, being a class photographer, or one of many other options. The participation requirement does not merely reduce tuition costs (which it does) or serve logistical purposes, but is central to the school’s mission to be a place “where children, parents and teachers share a participatory learning experience in a Christian atmosphere.” In the 3’s and 4’s classes, paid assistants work 1-2 days a week and parents assist on the other days; the TK class has a paid assistant every day.
TPPK supports “learning through play and experience.” Curricula include music and movement (including Music with Mar for 3’s and up), Handwriting Without Tears (3’s and up), Everyday Math for the TK students, and weekly chapel (which families are welcome to attend). The school is also guided by the principles of Conscious Discipline. According to the CD website (http://consciousdiscipline.com/about/conscious-discipline-for-teachers.asp): “Conscious Discipline integrates social-emotional learning, discipline and self-regulation so you spend less time policing behaviors and more time teaching vital life skills.” The Conscious Discipline practices at TPPK include Baby Doll Circle Time for 2’s, Safe Place in each class for 3’s and up, calming breathing techniques for all ages, School Family commitments, and more.
My older child is in his third year at TPPK (now in Pre-K) and my younger child is in the 2’s class. I am also serving in my first year on the school board. By assisting in the classrooms I have learned so much about my children’s classroom experiences and how they relate to peers and adults, teachers’ strategies for guiding behavior that I hadn’t thought of, enriching play activities I can replicate at home, the classmates and their families (which is particularly beneficial when my child is invited to a birthday party – I’m not attending with strangers!), and more. Overwhelmingly, I have found TPPK to be wholly positive, nurturing, enriching, and engaging for my children. The teachers and staff are incredibly supportive of the children, families, and each other. I am grateful for the friendships and acquaintances I’ve made with other parents and for the opportunity to work alongside the teachers from time to time. For my children, I am confident that they are in capable hands and are learning in a context of compassion.
How to Apply: Application forms are available on the website and enrollment for new students begins in the spring. TPPK admits students on a tiered priority basis: (1) enrolled students, (2) siblings of enrolled students, (3) new students who are members of Triangle Presbyterian Church, (4) new students from the broader community. Although TPPK operates under the guidance of Triangle Presbyterian Church, fewer than 10% of our students are members of TPC. There is no religious requirement to attend; TPPK is non-profit and non-discriminatory.
Upcoming Events:
Tours are offered on the following Thursdays at 9:45am:
- Oct 16, 2014
- Nov 13, 2014
- Feb 19, 2015
Open House for prospective families is Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 9:45am.
Where They Are:
5001 Tudor Pl, Durham, NC 27713.
TPPK is located in South Durham just off Hwy 54 between Fayetteville and Hope Valley Road/Highway 751.
Preschool Director Nicolette Granata
nicolette.granata@tppk.org
(919) 544-2872
For photos, tuition, staff bios, parent handbook, and much more information, visit the website:
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