Greetings from Redeemer Parish Day School

Greetings from the Parish Day School

Preschool through 3rd Grade

Blazing a Trail

Spring 2023

Redeemer Parish Day School

Mission Statement

To discover the unique worth and beauty of individuals in a vibrant environment that fosters strong connections.

To educate children through an experiential, process-based program that nurtures curious, confident learners who are joyful and kind.

To build an inclusive and equitable community, strengthening the School, Church and Baltimore.

Letter from the Rector

Dear Folks,

Nothing is more exciting to me than being a part of the growth of the Redeemer Parish Day School over the past three years. Always a strong preschool, PDS will soon welcome 170 children each morning to a continuous early childhood education program that serves 2’s through 3^rd graders. We have rediscovered the gift of our 9-acre campus, with learning and play occurring on every inch, wherever two or three are gathered. We have welcomed new faculty, added a school musical and afterschool programs, and deepened our partnership with Govans Elementary School.

We’ve strengthened our connection to the Redeemer parish by involving the Rev. Rebecca Ogus in teaching, as well as in weekly chapel. At the request of parents, parish clergy are preparing some school children for their first communion, and we’re pleased to see PDS students and graduates acting as church lectors and singing in our children’s choir. We have significantly increased our financial aid budget and added the Redeemer Racers as our school mascot.

The Building Design Committee, which brings together leaders from both the school and the parish, has worked closely this year with architects from GWWO Architects and contractors from Whiting-Turner. Together they have designed an expansion of our current physical plant to create a home for our elementary division, integrating the new structure with existing buildings through outdoor learning spaces and walkways. It is still a work in progress, as we incorporate all that our programs need in a vision that is beautiful and affordable, but we are on schedule to begin construction in the summer of 2024.

We now enter a phase of measuring the interest and financial capacity of all our community members—current parents and grandparents, past parents, alums and parishioners. We will ask each person to participate as generously as they can. Our opportunity is to build a facility that will usher in our future, further engage the community of Baltimore and all its compelling diversity and offer a transformative experience to our students and families and those of the next generation.

In the coming months, Mary and I and our Development Committee would love to meet with you. We want to hear your passions and share ours with you. PDS is writing an exciting story about the gifts of early childhood education, and we believe that you can help us tell it.

Love,

David

Why Preschool through 3rd Grade?

Our Model is designed to Celebrate and Protect Childhood

Early Childhood Education, preschool through third grade, is an extremely important period in child development. Ninety percent of brain development happens between birth and third grade, and those years are the most sensitive and critical in a person's life.

Redeemer is designed to focus solely on these important years. Our preschool through third grade model is grounded in research, embraces the joy of childhood and learning, implements a teaching model that emphasizes and preserves creativity, and offers the gift of time to develop confidence and evolve as learners. Childhood is a magical time. Extending our learning model through third grade is a gift that will last a lifetime!

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Program Updates

Faculty & Staff

The Day School employs 25 faculty and staff members with an average of 12 years’ experience and a combined total of 294 years working in education.

They bring a variety of talent, expertise, and skills to our program. We are

thrilled to share that every member of our staff is returning for the 2023-2024

program year!

Admissions

Our enrollment numbers continue to be strong for next year. We receive applications weekly and continue to offer tours and student admissions

visits for our older grades. We have a few remaining openings in several of our

classes; we appreciate all our community does to spread the word about our

program.

Matriculation

Students who leave the Day School move onto a variety of different schools in our area including parochial, independent, and public schools in the city and county. Next year students will transition to 18 different school programs.

Commitment to Affordability

With the help of the Church's Covenant Fund, over the past three years the Day School has increased need-based financial aid by over 50%. We are committed to providing an affordable school option for the early years with low student-teacher ratios in an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment.

After School Enrichment Programs

Our inaugural year of after school enrichment has been a success. We offered classes in 8-week sessions in the fall, winter, and spring. Each class filled to capacity, and due to high demand, we opened additional sections when necessary. Classes included Sketches & Skits, Science Academy, Winter Explorations, Super Chef, Studio Painters, and Diggin' Dinos! Thank you to Jen Barta and her team for creating a dynamic program for our students.

Extended Care

Under the capable leadership of Sa Chun, we are finishing our first year of RED, Redeemer Extended Day. The program serves 20 children a day, ages three through nine. By adding extended hours, we have been able to attract

more families to our program and are pleased to offer childcare beyond our

school day program.

The Redeemer Racers

The second grade has written a proposal to start a Redeemer soccer team, complete with field drawings and uniform descriptions. We have been in conversation with one local school and plans are underway. We are also

excited to announce our new elementary school mascot, the Redeemer Racers, which was enthusiastically endorsed by our elementary students. Thank you to alum, Cole Knott, for his vision in creating a natural, more mature evolution of the trike. We look forward to revealing more as everything unfolds.

"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."

-Aristotle

Redeemer Parish Day School in Action

"Good Day!"

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We Want to Stay Connected

Redeemer Parish Day School is a wonderful community of families, teachers, staff, alumni, extended family, and friends. As we expand our program through third grade we provide a unique learning model not found elsewhere in Baltimore. During this exciting time in our school history, we are excited to connect with the wonderful people who make up our community.

We are interested in knowing more about you and sharing news and information about our program and school growth. Please click the link below and consider forwarding this email to family and friends who might be interested in hearing from us.

Click Here to Connect with Us

CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE JOY OF REDEEMER!