Salmon Creek Christian Day School

The mission of Salmon Creek Christian Preschool and Daycare is to provide a safe, nurturing inclusive learning environment; creating excellence in early Christian education and affordable child care.  Salmon Creek Christian Preschool and daycare believes that each child is a capable and active participant in their surroundings.  SCCPD is committed to each child in learning to actively demonstrate positive problem-solving skills, promote and maintain a sense of belonging for themselves and others.  Our hope is that each child will discover and apply concepts that will prepare them in school readiness and in building a sense of stewardship and community.  Our goal is that each child will learn about the teachings of Jesus Christ, including emerging knowledge of core values and universal virtues.  We feel called to promote and model respectful interactions and caring for others, sharing and respecting our resources, developing strength of character and discipleship, while mentoring learning skills and individual strengths that will last a lifetime.

  Gayle comes from a long line of family members who were United Methodist ministers, with even a circuit rider who rode horseback from town to town back in the early 1800s. Gayle has been director of the Dayschool ministry since April, 2010. She has a BA in psychology and art from the University of Redlands (a familiar place because of her family going to the UMC annual conferences that are held there), hoping to continue studies to be an art therapist. She ended up working at an outdoor education camp after college and fell in love with teaching kids. She has worked in a variety of private and center-based childcare, over the span of almost thirty years, including a therapeutic classroom, where as a case manager, she worked with children and families that were at or below the poverty level. She learned a lot from that experience learning about families in poverty and the challenges and myths associated with that population. Gayle finished her graduate studies, receiving her Master of Arts degree in 2011 in Human Development, with specializations in Early Childhood Education and Leadership in Education and Human Services. Gayle loves to do anything creative/artistic, loves a good book or well-told story, movies, writing, kayaking, and camping. One of her favorite quotes is, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has” by Margaret Mead.

360-573-9541

e-mail:  sscdsdirector@gmail.com

Christian based education

Ages:  2 - 12 years

Hours:  6am to 6pm

Children's Church every Tuesday morning.

Salmon Creek Christian Preschool and daycare has been serving North Vancouver families for over 30 years.  Our program is designed to provide a fun, inviting space where children 2 years to 12 years of age can grow and learn.  It is our desire to serve families in our community by providing care that promotes physical and emotional well-being in a positive learning environment.  The preschool and daycare is a ministry of Salmon creek United Methodist church as envisioned by the Council on Ministries and created by the Administrative Board.

Our curriculum embraces the natural curiosity of young children and their natural ability to learn through play and a variety of spontaneous and structured opportunities.  We use a combination of "emergent curriculum" based on a holistic view of child development that incorporates physical, social-emotional, language, creative/artistic and cognitive development.

Salmon Creek Christian Preschool and daycare is a level three participant in the Washington state Early Achievers program.

Gayle Horwitz - Director

Ashley Skelton - Assistant Director

Susan Dolan - Pre-K Lead Teacher - Room 1

Donna Hopfer - 2.5/3s Lead Teacher - Room 2

Christi Parrish - Lead Teacher - Room 2

Angela Parrish - Pre-K Lead teacher - Room 3

Cheri Hogan - 4s Lead Teacher - Room 4

Pat Stephens - Assistant Teacher/Float

Natasha Gray - 1 to 2.5s Lead Teacher - Room 5

Kryssynda Duong - Assistant Teacher - Room 5

Barb Pace - Float - a.m.

Debbie Glab - Assistant Teacher - school age