Where children are valued for their ability to do meaningful work,
their wonder and curiosity, their perspectives and ability to play

Where families are valued for their bonds and traditions,
their commitment to work, home and community,
their dreams for their children,
and ability to play

Where staff are valued for their vision,
Their delight in children, their skill,
Heart, and knowledge, a commitment to families,
And ability to play

We cherish what we learn from each other.

Our School

Trinity Parish Nursery School is a church sponsored, nonsectarian program founded in 1965 by Trinity Church members. Since that time the school has grown from seven children to one hundred and twenty presently attending. Our preschool serves children from two and a half to five years old.

Our Philosophy

Trinity Parish Nursery School is committed to offering children a safe and nurturing environment that promotes physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. Our philosophy is based upon active learning. It is our belief that children play to learn and learn to play. It is through their play that children learn about themselves, others and they come to a better understanding of their physical world.

We want your child’s school experience to be a positive one, filled with activities that are both valuable and challenging. Our program is aimed at teaching children “how” to think, rather than “what” to think and our concern is to “form” the mind rather than to “fill” it.

We offer experiences that encourage respect for others, cooperation, negotiating, problem-solving, making choices and the development of a positive self-image. We encourage independence when tending to their personal needs and support the child in assuming responsibility. Many of these concepts are learned through play. They provide a solid foundation for future learning and skills that will last a lifetime.

Our Director, Teaching Staff and Board

Margaret "Meg" Reilly, Director of Trinity Parish Nursery School, has extensive experience with young children. Meg started at Trinity in 2007.  Prior to Trinity she has worked in a school setting for the past twenty-seven years. For seven of those years, she owned and operated a preschool serving over sixty families in Yarmouth Port, Mass. In this capacity Meg has a proven record of hiring, supervising, and training staff, team-building, and curriculum development and implementation. Meg has worked with special needs children and was involved in the development of a model program designed for "at risk" preschool children in the Massachusetts public school system.

Trinity Parish Nursery School Board is chaired by the Rector of Trinity Church. It is composed of representatives of the church, parents of the school, a treasurer, secretary, Vestry member, alum representative and community member. The Board sets the policies of the school.

The staff consists of the director, one administrative assistant, head teachers, assistant teachers, creative movement instructors, educational consultant, family life advisor, and a part time registered nurse. All are highly qualified and dedicated to your child. Our teachers have excellent experiences working with young children and have various degrees and related coursework in the field of early childhood education. Our staff thoughtfully and actively set the stage for learning. They create the environment that supports learning through hands-on experiences.

Registration

Registration for September classes begins in early January by first offering re-enrollment for students presently attending the school. Siblings of currently enrolled children have the next opportunity for available openings. Children whose parents are active members of Trinity Parish have the next preference. Finally, registration is open to the community. Parents should call the school a year or two before the child is eligible to begin.

Parents of prospective students will be given an appointment to visit and will meet with the Director. You will have an opportunity to visit a class (without your child) and tour the school. Acknowledging the importance of group dynamics in the classroom, we make every effort to maintain an equal ration of boys and girls in a class.

Programs

When we have an opening, a non-refundable registration fee of $50.00 is required and a contract fee of $250.00 (also non-refundable) is needed to secure the enrollment. The $250.00 contract fee is applied to the final tuition payment. Once the contract is signed by the parents, and the two fees are collected, the parents are responsible for the full year’s tuition. Should your child be withdrawn, it is the parents’ responsibility to pay the annual tuition if the place cannot be filled.

If your child attends school Monday, Wednesday and Friday and is toilet trained, extended day is offered for an additional fee. The extended day program meets until 2:00pm.

Margaret "Meg" Reilly, Director
203-259-8456

Trinity Parish Nursery School
651 Pequot Avenue
P.O. Box 400
Southport, Connecticut
06890