A Growing Place
Promoting Happy, Successful, Lifelong Learners
Let Your Child Grow in a Nurturing Preschool Environment
At Samuel Preschool, children have the freedom to learn through play. Our teachers carefully plan activities to meet the needs of children in different developmental stages. Children may choose to explore their interests ranging from group play, art, dramatic play, building blocks, and many other choices. Caring teachers support their play while focusing on helping children learn the important social skills they will use throughout their lives: taking turns, sharing, talking things over, expressing emotions, resolving conflicts, and developing friendships. Samuel Preschool has been in operation for over 50 years.
Get in touch to learn more about Samuel Preschool.
Samuel Church Pre-Kindergarten School is at 320 N. Forsyth Boulevard in Clayton, Missouri. We offer preschool programs for children 2 to 5 years of age. Loving teachers work and care for children in each of our classrooms. The preschool curriculum is secular and designed for all families to feel comfortable and safe. We welcome children of all races, religions, and nationalities. We have morning classes from 9 a.m to 11:45 a.m for our 2-year-olds and 9 a.m to 12 noon for children ages 3 to 5. There are also extended day options.
Our Classes
Morning Preschool Classes
2-day class meets from 9:00 a.m – 11:45 a.m
3-day & 5-day classes meet from 9:00 a.m – 12:00 p.m
Afternoon Opportunities
Opportunities to extend the morning programs into the afternoon.
Our Day
A Typical Day at Samuel Preschool
9:00-10:00 Open Play & Process Art Activities
10:00-10:30 Clean-Up/Bathroom Time, Circle Time for Finger Play, Music, and Movement
10:30-10:45 Snack Time
10:45-11:15 Outdoor Play on the Playground, Tricycles, Chalk Drawing, Gardening, etc.
11:15-11:35 Activities Include Creative Media Projects, Seasonal Activities, Nature Exploration, and Games
11:35-11:45 Storytime and Preparation To Leave School
Qualified and experienced teachers lead each class. They work together as a team to foster a positive classroom environment. As the teachers guide the children through developmentally appropriate activities, they learn about themselves and their world by exploring, questioning, and experimenting.
In our program, we emphasize learning by doing, and we believe the process is more important than the product.
Each child becomes a member of the classroom community and learns how to build caring relationships with other children.
In the safe environment of Samuel Preschool, the children can take learning risks and raise their understanding of our world.
Our Parents
Parent Association
Your Parent Association meets once every other month, either in person or by Zoom. The Association seeks to provide support to the school and to create space for communication among parents. They plan special events such as the Welcome Back Party with the Bubble Bus a week after school starts. Throughout the year, the preschool children enjoy visits from local educators and entertainers, including the World Bird Sanctuary, the Magic House, and Metro Theatre.
The Parent Association also contributes generously to provide Nature on the Move and Yoga Classes for our 3-5 year olds.
We invite all parents to attend the meetings. Children are welcome too! It’s a great way to meet and connect with other preschool parents.
School to Home Connection
We believe that a strong school-to-home connection is essential for young children. Our staff shares phone and email contacts with parents. We send home monthly newsletters and notes and post information on the Seesaw Family app. There are two scheduled conferences each year to discuss your child’s progress. We also want to talk with you often and can recommend times that are best for informal conversations. You can help by sharing information about your child with us. Let us know when your child might be under stress due to a parent’s new job, a house move, or any changes in sleep or eating. We will be communicating with you when anything out of the ordinary occurs. We also look forward to sharing the highlights of the day with you at dismissal. Parents are welcome at preschool at any time, but please arrange ahead of time with your child’s teacher. Join us in the classroom or on the playground and enjoy the children. Bring a storybook to read or share snack time with us. By building a mutual relationship of trust and respect, we can create strong support for the children.
What Our Parents Say
“Samuel Preschool has exceeded our expectations. Our daughter is thriving in so many ways, thanks to the wonderful teachers and staff. She has been able to build friendships, develop early academic skills, and grow emotionally. We could not be more thrilled with our experience at Samuel Preschool.”
Natalie Gnade
“We have found Samuel to be such a welcoming place for our son whose needs are a bit different than that of his peers. His teachers and Ms. Jane continue to support and inspire him through play and we have seen his confidence and skills steadily grow throughout his first year here. We are forever grateful for their care and kindness toward our child!”
Amelia Freeman
“We hit the jackpot when we found Samuel Preschool! We feel our entire family is supported there. Yes, our children are ready for kindergarten, but, more importantly, Samuel is an extension of our home where our children feel safe and loved. It will be a sad day when our youngest leaves Samuel and goes to kindergarten, but we will always have wonderful memories of our time there."
Joe & Lara Talsky
"Samuel Preschool has nurtured our daughter in every way. She loves her teachers and friends and is always excited to go to school. Samuel provides an environment rich in social and emotional development where everyone can thrive. Lila even calls her teachers, "her other grown-ups" and thinks of them as family.”
Brocca Morrison