Thank you Penny!!
Dear Parishoners:
We said goodbye to longtime Preschool Director Penny Wong and Assistant Teacher Karen Hunt Torrence at the annual Preschool Graduation Celebration in Owen Park in June. Their contributions to our program have been invaluable and they will be missed! The Preschool Board, consisting of Vestry Liaison Leigh Ann Yuen, Community Member Ann Palches, Preschool Parent Alexia Garcia and Rev. Susan Eibner, met several times before and after the end of the school year to find a new Director and Assistant Teacher for the Preschool.
We are proud to host the Island’s oldest preschool, established by parishioners in 1956. And we are grateful for this mission of Grace Church that provides loving care and preschool education for our community’s children and supports families with understanding, knowledge and experience. We recognize the value the Preschool brings in bringing children and young families into Grace Church.
The Preschool Board placed ads in local papers and reached out to the local early childhood education community to recruit candidates for the Director position. And although we went through two rounds of interviews and met with several promising educators we were unable to find a replacement with the appropriate qualifications and availability to fill the role of Preschool Director. At the same time the preschool has experienced low enrollment and there seems to be a dip in demand for preschool programs across the island currently. We were concerned enrollment would be an issue by the time we might find a suitable Director.
After many prayers and much deliberation, the Preschool Board, with support of the Vestry, has made the decision to take a rebuilding year. The Preschool will not operate for the 2018-2019 school year but will reopen in July of 2019 with a year round preschool program. In order to prepare for reopening the Board would like to enlarge its membership, adding at least three new members. We are seeking parishioners, former Preschool parents and interested community members to join the board. The Board will be active throughout this year, revisiting the Preschool’s mission, increasing public awareness and recruiting and hiring a new staff. The new Board will also be responsible for overseeing the Preschool once a new Director is hired.
We are disappointed in the temporary closing of the Preschool but feel a strong Preschool Board can renew the program’s energy and bring the Preschool into its next phase. If you know anyone who may be a good match for the Preschool Board please let one of the current Board members know. We would like to plan a full Board Meeting in the fall including new members. Thanks for your ongoing support of children and families at Grace.
Leigh Ann Yuen, Preschool Board/Vestry Liaison
We said goodbye to longtime Preschool Director Penny Wong and Assistant Teacher Karen Hunt Torrence at the annual Preschool Graduation Celebration in Owen Park in June. Their contributions to our program have been invaluable and they will be missed! The Preschool Board, consisting of Vestry Liaison Leigh Ann Yuen, Community Member Ann Palches, Preschool Parent Alexia Garcia and Rev. Susan Eibner, met several times before and after the end of the school year to find a new Director and Assistant Teacher for the Preschool.
We are proud to host the Island’s oldest preschool, established by parishioners in 1956. And we are grateful for this mission of Grace Church that provides loving care and preschool education for our community’s children and supports families with understanding, knowledge and experience. We recognize the value the Preschool brings in bringing children and young families into Grace Church.
The Preschool Board placed ads in local papers and reached out to the local early childhood education community to recruit candidates for the Director position. And although we went through two rounds of interviews and met with several promising educators we were unable to find a replacement with the appropriate qualifications and availability to fill the role of Preschool Director. At the same time the preschool has experienced low enrollment and there seems to be a dip in demand for preschool programs across the island currently. We were concerned enrollment would be an issue by the time we might find a suitable Director.
After many prayers and much deliberation, the Preschool Board, with support of the Vestry, has made the decision to take a rebuilding year. The Preschool will not operate for the 2018-2019 school year but will reopen in July of 2019 with a year round preschool program. In order to prepare for reopening the Board would like to enlarge its membership, adding at least three new members. We are seeking parishioners, former Preschool parents and interested community members to join the board. The Board will be active throughout this year, revisiting the Preschool’s mission, increasing public awareness and recruiting and hiring a new staff. The new Board will also be responsible for overseeing the Preschool once a new Director is hired.
We are disappointed in the temporary closing of the Preschool but feel a strong Preschool Board can renew the program’s energy and bring the Preschool into its next phase. If you know anyone who may be a good match for the Preschool Board please let one of the current Board members know. We would like to plan a full Board Meeting in the fall including new members. Thanks for your ongoing support of children and families at Grace.
Leigh Ann Yuen, Preschool Board/Vestry Liaison
The Pre-School has celebrated over 60 years of providing the
Martha's Vineyard Community with a quality childhood program
that has served over 650 children since its founding.
Grace Preschool has a cozy home in the church’s spacious basement where it was begun by the late Mary Ann Hoxsie, a community-minded parishioner and early childhood professional. The pre-school thrives today, offering scholarships to enable children to attend and embracing students of other cultures. We are blessed to have a teacher who speaks Portuguese, and can be responsive to our growing Brazilian population.
Because the Grace Pre-School remains non-denominational, we would welcome any attempt by our new rector to encourage the involvement of more pre-school families and the children’s program at Grace Church. |
Established in 1956 as the Grace Church Co-operative Playgroup, it is the oldest existing preschool on Martha’s Vineyard.
The Pre-School area (downstairs in the church building) has activity spaces which encourage both play and quiet time. Also recently renovated due to the major leak in October 2016, it has new floors and new sheetrock walls. One side of the downstairs has large windows and can be open to the outside, and a stairway up leads to the playground located behind the church, which is surrounded by wood fencing. 
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