Our classes

Introduction
Classes are conducted according to the school schedule established by Pickerington Public Schools, so parents' schedules can be more conveniently accommodated.

If you want us to contact you, fill our form on our Contact page.  Or just call 614-833-4141.

Classes for 3 year olds
Our 3-day classes are conducted for a half-day on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. You can select mornings or afternoons, as long as space is available..Your child is eligible if s/he is 3 years old by August 1, and is toilet trained.

Classes for 4 year olds
Four year olds attend 4 days each week for a half-day on Monday through Thursday. You can select mornings or afternoons, as long as space is available. Your child is eligible if s/he is 4 years old by August 1, and is toilet trained.

Pre-K Plus
If your child is 5 years old by August 1, our pre-kindergarten plus program may be a good fit. Classes are 4 days, Monday through Thursday, in the mornings.

Fine points (FAQs)

Annual schedule:
With few exceptions, we follow the Pickerington Local School District schedule. When Pickerington Schools children are in session, generally we are too.

Registration:
We formally register for classes in February for the following school year. Classes can fill quickly, so most parents register on the first day. Call for current status and openings.

Payment terms:
A non-refundable registration fee is required. Monthly tuition payments must be made prior to the start of each month.

Class sizes:
Classes generally run a student:teacher ratio of 8:1, which is far better than state regulations require.

Snow/weather days:
In the event of inclement weather, we follow the Pickerington Schools cancellation policy. TV and radio stations provide guidance. In the event of 2-hour delays, we cancel only the morning sessions.

More questions

What about toilet-trainng?
 We don't enroll your child if s/he isn't trained. But, accidents do happen occasionally, so we keep some emergency clothing on hand.

How do we pick up and drop off?
One of our teachers escorts each child to and from your car for your convenience and for safety and security.

Clock faces

What are class hours?
 Morning sessions are from 9:00 to 11:30. Afternoon classes are from 12:30 to 3:00.

Discipline

Prospective parents often ask about our discipline policies, so here is a brief summary.

A key role for preschool is to learn self-discipline. It is discipline that enables us to learn effectively. So we teach your child that self-control results in positive self-direction. Preschoolers need to understand school rules, because their future behavior is guided by such rules and the consequences associated with reasonable conformance to them.

Our teachers are trained to provide positive support to each child, so we are proactive in providing helpful reinforcement to achieve desired behavior. And, we certainly decrease or eliminate undesirable physical behaviors for the benefit of students' classmates. At no time do we ever use corporal punishment of any kind.

Why no computers?

Child's hand on keyboard

We're all about activities
At Rainbow Steps, we never prop a child in front of a computer.

After all, most families have computers at home, and our job at school is to promote interaction with humans, not machines.

So we spend time painting, playing with a purpose, skill building, and more.