Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does my child need to be potty trained to attend Congregational Preschool?
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A: Children DO NOT need to be potty trained for any of our classrooms. However, they DO need to be potty trained to attend extended care or summer camp, due to staffing ratios.
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Q: My child will turn 2 after the start of school, can I enroll them in the 2s class?
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A: No. All children must be the age of the classroom by September 1st in order to be enrolled in that class (2 years old for the 2s class, 3 for the 3s, etc.)
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Q: My child will turn 2 in October, can they wait and start school after their birthday?
A: No, sorry. It is the policy of Congregational Preschool that all children must be 2 by Sept 1st in order to be enrolled in the 2s class.
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Q: Are children moved up to the next class if they have a birthday mid-year?
A: No. Children will stay in their class based on their age at the start of school for the entire year. These stable groups foster a sense of community and help us to keep students together as a cohort.
Q: Is Congregational Preschool a religious program?
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A: No. Since the 1950s, Congregational Preschool has been located inside First Congregational Church, but we do not have a religious curriculum. The Church designed the building to include space for a nursery school that would be open to all families in the greater Eugene community. We’re deeply grateful for FCC’s ongoing support and enjoy a warm, welcoming relationship with its community, volunteers, and staff.
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Q: Can I bring cupcakes to school for my child’s birthday?
A: No. We love to celebrate birthdays, however, every family has a different philosophy around sweets and it's important to respect those boundaries. Many families choose to sign up to bring the snack on their child’s birthday and then let the child select their favorite fruit, crackers, etc. For snack ideas, please check out our snack suggestions page. Thank you!
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Q: What is the best way to contact my child's teacher or the director?
A: The teachers share their email addresses and personal cell phone numbers with the families in their classes. For urgent matters, like being stuck in traffic and late for pick up, please text the teachers. For non-urgent questions or concerns, please send an email or wait to talk with the teacher at drop off or pick up times. Please use these same guidelines when reaching out to our director.
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Q: Why do the classrooms have animal names?
A: Even though all the children in a classroom are the same age at the start of school, many of them will have birthdays throughout the school year. This is often confusing to a child who has just turned 4 and doesn’t understand why they are still in the “3s class”. To solve this confusion, each classroom is named after a different animal found in Oregon. The 2s class are the Hummingbirds, the 3s are the Owls, the MWF 4s are the Otters, and the M-F 4s are the Squirrels.