“…Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14
In 1990, St Mark’s Lutheran Church knew that assisting families in our community was an integral part of our church’s ministry. To accomplish this goal, the congregation researched possibilities and then began a preschool known as Saint Mark’s Ark. This preschool, also called The Ark, started with 9 children. It grew to 50 within a few years, reaching a population of 120 children in 2020. We always have envisioned teaching children from diverse social and economic backgrounds, and without regard to race, religion, or ethnic background.
Our original goal remains in 2020, as we assist community families by providing a preschool with developmentally-appropriate curricula for children (infants through 4-5 years old) in a loving, relaxed, Christian environment, with all-day, year-round care, as an extension to our educational program. We seek to offer financial assistance, when needed, so that all children are able to attend while there is room.
The difficult decision was made to temporarily suspend operations at the Ark in July 2020 due to implications from the COVID-19 epidemic and staffing changes. However, we have not been idle during this time. Saint Mark’s Ark has been planning our reopening in 2021. We have many exciting new developments in progress, including working more closely with our church congregation to enhance each child’s and each family’s preschool experiences.
So, while we are planning and preparing, watch this site for further developments.
In 1990, St Mark’s Lutheran Church knew that assisting families in our community was an integral part of our church’s ministry. To accomplish this goal, the congregation researched possibilities and then began a preschool known as Saint Mark’s Ark. This preschool, also called The Ark, started with 9 children. It grew to 50 within a few years, reaching a population of 120 children in 2020. We always have envisioned teaching children from diverse social and economic backgrounds, and without regard to race, religion, or ethnic background.
Our original goal remains in 2020, as we assist community families by providing a preschool with developmentally-appropriate curricula for children (infants through 4-5 years old) in a loving, relaxed, Christian environment, with all-day, year-round care, as an extension to our educational program. We seek to offer financial assistance, when needed, so that all children are able to attend while there is room.
The difficult decision was made to temporarily suspend operations at the Ark in July 2020 due to implications from the COVID-19 epidemic and staffing changes. However, we have not been idle during this time. Saint Mark’s Ark has been planning our reopening in 2021. We have many exciting new developments in progress, including working more closely with our church congregation to enhance each child’s and each family’s preschool experiences.
So, while we are planning and preparing, watch this site for further developments.