Dilworth United Methodist Weekday School is a small preschool located in the heart of Dilworth. We are a school where children thrive both socially and academically and families feel a strong sense of community.
Our History
Our school was created in 2004 by Dilworth United Methodist Church in an effort to offer the community a preschool of excellence for children ages one through five (pre-kindergarten). Our mission is to provide children a place to learn and grow through active participation in a variety of developmentally appropriate activities in a nurturing Christian environment.
The program runs Monday-Friday and has several schedule choices for students. The school hours are 9:00-12:30 with an extended day option available. The Extended Day Program allows children the opportunity to stay an extra half hour either before or after school.
Why entrust us with your children? We are proud that we are able to offer children:
- An open ended, developmentally-appropriate curriculum where problem-solving is encouraged and learning is exciting.
- Classrooms that focus on the development of the whole child. Intellectual, social and self-help skills are taught in an effort to have each child reach his/her potential.
- Experienced teachers who enjoy teaching and understand how young children learn best. Their goal is to offer each of their students the tools necessary to begin their journey as engaged, life-long learners.
- A variety of enrichment activities. Students participate in a weekly music class that is brought to campus in an effort to expose children to a variety of musical activities including singing, movement and instrument exploration. Students also participate in a movement class every week as well as attend several on-site programs for preschoolers presented by experts in the field of science and education. Older children participate in several off-site field trips. Some of these include visits to our neighborhood fire station, Discovery Place, Imaginon and plays at Charlotte Children’s Theatre.
- A Prekindergarten class whose goal is to prepare children for a successful year in kindergarten.
- A nurturing Christian environment where every child feels that they have infinite worth because he/she is a child of God. Developmentally-appropriate Chapel lessons are taught on a regular basis by church staff. Blessings are given each day before lunch.
The Dilworth Weekday School does not discriminate against any applicant because of religious affiliation, race, age, gender, or handicap.
What are your enrollment choices?
Toddler/Ones Class
- Tuesday/Thursday
- Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Twos Class
- Tuesday/Thursday
- Monday/Wednesday/Friday
- Monday to Friday
Threes Class
- Monday/Wednesday/Friday
- Monday to Friday
Pre-Kindergarten Class
- Monday to Friday
What is your tuition schedule?
2 days per week $250 per month
3 days per week $295 per month
5 days per week $395 per month
*Financial assistance is available for a limited number of spaces. Please contact the director for more information.
A registration form and non-refundable registration fee must be turned into our school in order to complete the registration process. This registration fee is fixed and applicable any time during the school year when a child enrolls.
$100 per child (non-church members, new families)
$75 per child (church members, current families)
How do I register my child for the current school year?
Remember that DWS is a half-day preschool in session from September through May. Eligibility in our program is based on the child’s age on August 31st. We require a medical report and proof of current vaccinations at the start of school.
Currently enrolled students, siblings, and Dilworth Church members have priority registration, which is due by February 2, 2018. Community applications are due February 9, 2018.
Applications are accepted after this date on a space-available basis. If no space is available, you may choose to be added to a waitlist. Your registration fee will not be charged until a space becomes available.
Registration forms and deposits may be turned in to the DWS office, the Dilworth Church office, or through the mail. Make checks payable to Dilworth Weekday School.
How can I visit the school?
Tours are offered on Thursdays at 11:15 by appointment. Please call or e-mail with your name, your child’s name, your child's birthday, and the desired class for the upcoming year.
What curriculum do you use?
Classroom teachers use The Creative Curriculum as a guide for their lesson plans. Each day allows for children to have circle time (whole group instruction), choice time in a variety of classroom centers as well as individual and small group instruction. The curriculum focuses on four areas of development: cognitive, social/emotional, language and physical.
A focus on developing important literacy skills is central.
“Children need regular and active interactions with print. Specific abilities required for reading and writing come from immediate experiences with oral and written language. From these experiences, children learn that reading and writing are valuable tools that will help them do many things in life.” - The National Association for the Education of Young Children’s position statement on learning to read and write.
Our teachers understand that learning to value reading, learning to understand the parts of a book and comprehend the subject matter of a book are important as well as learning letter and sound recognition. These objectives are all taken into account when planning various literacy lessons.
Children are well prepared for kindergarten because of early exposure to important pre-reading and writing skills. Math and science are also incorporated into classroom lesson plans even for the youngest of students.
Math activities and manipulatives are used in many ways in order to teach children number sense, patterning, counting, sorting and measurement. Older children have many opportunities to participate in science lessons and experimentation.
Exposure to the outside world and creative experiences are also an important part of each school day. Our school supports the belief that: “In play, a child always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behavior. In play, it is as though he were a head taller than himself.” - Lev Vygotsky, Russian psychologist and educational theorist.
What about family events?
Families have many opportunities attend events at The Weekday School. Some events include:
- Ice Cream Socials on the playground
- Class playdates
- Gatherings for parents to enjoy coffee and conversation
- The Weekday School’s Annual Breakfast with Santa
- Classroom Holiday Celebrations & Read-Aloud
- The End of Year Summer Send-Off Celebration and Slideshow
- Spring Fling in our courtyard
- An Invitation to children ages three+ to attend Dilworth Church's
Vacation Bible School
*Parent participation is so important! Parents are also welcome and encouraged to volunteer in the classrooms or chaperone field trips. Parents are invited to come and have lunch with their child anytime.
Do you offer a summer camp?
Our school offers four weeks of fun-filled summer camp for children one year of age to rising kindergarteners. These camps are open to our current families and to the community as well. A camp class for older siblings will be offered this summer as well during sessions 2, 3 & 4. Campers can be as young as one to attend DWS camp, but we do ask that these toddlers are enrolled for the fall, sturdy walkers, can drink from sippy cups, and can eat table food. Many new families to DWS find that enrolling in camp is a great opportunity for their children to meet future classmates as well as some of our teachers. Camp hours are 9:00-12:30 pm, M-F.
What are the dates and themes for Summer Camp 2018?
Stay tuned! Check back in late February for our weeks and themes!
Get in touch!
What parents are saying
“Before attending the DUMC Weekday School, my son had not been left with anyone but family. I can honestly say because of the positive, Christian and family atmosphere of the school, I didn’t think twice about leaving him in the care of his teachers. Our experience with DUMC has been everything we hoped for and more!” - Catherine McLester
“Both of my children have attended the DUMC Weekday School and our family has truly enjoyed watching our children develop their individual personalities with the support of the teachers, staff and other families at school. After two years with the school, my daughter had developed a love for school, music, creative expression and making friends. More than anything, I am happy that she had the chance to get a head start on her love of learning before heading off to kindergarten. And my son, now in his second year with The Weekday School, is following the same path- making friends, sharing and learning to love his special time at school.
I can’t say enough about the teachers at DUMC- always supportive and looking for ways to make the school day fun and exciting for the children and also finding ways to share news and updates about the children as well as inviting feedback and ideas from the families. They are truly caring partners in my children’s special preschool years.” - Shannon Medina
“I have had children at the DUMC Weekday School for nearly five years now, and have never wanted to go elsewhere. The small classes, loving teachers and active days are just what I wanted for my children. My current kindergartener found the transition to ‘big school’ a breeze after the things she learned at DUMC, which made it wonderful for both of us.” - Lisa Rasmussen
Please see the attached application for the 2018-19 school year:
