Who We Are

The School

We were founded in 1979 by the Park District with the idea that every child is unique and, therefore, special.

Our preschool is not a day care program, though our teachers take great care with the children. Our goal is to prepare the children for kindergarten so they enter with confidence and excitement.

All this is done is a safe, structured, yet entertaining atmosphere.

When your child leaves our 2 year program, in addition to all the information they've learned, they will know what is expected of them both in the classroom as well as at play time.

The Teachers                     

We are fortunate to have Mrs. Pamela Terlap as the Director of our school. Mrs. Terlap holds a B.S. degree in Education from Northern Illinois University and is certified by the State of Illinois. Mrs. Terlap also specializes in education for the visually impaired. Mrs. Terlap joined the Park District in 1995, at which time she completely revamped the program to make it what it is today.

Assisting her is Mrs. Katie LeClair who joined our staff in the fall of 2008. Mrs. LeClair has been involved with our program for many years as a member of the Parental Advisory Committee and a regular substitute teacher.

Parental Advisory Committee

The Parental Advisory Committee (PAC) is made up of volunteer parents (usually 4 members) who act as liaisons between the Park District Board and the Preschool staff. The PAC members' responsibilities include preparation of the monthly calendar, tuition collection, organizing and implementing fund raising events and maintaining the Scholastic Book Club program.  PAC members also help out in the classroom when needed.

All committee members are unpaid volunteers. They are appointed by the Park District Board of Commissioners. They must have a child enrolled in the program to be a PAC member. Typically, there are 2 members representing the Mickey Mouse Class and 2 members representing the Donald Duck Class.