Thank you for your interest in the Day School. At this time, all classes are full for the 2024-2025 school year. Please contact the Day School office @ 205.874.1541 or julie.smith@canterburyumc.org to have your child added to the waiting list. Thank you!

About Canterbury’s Day School

The mission of Canterbury Day School is to provide loving care to each child, develop a solid foundation for their cognitive, physical, social/emotional, and spiritual development, and offer an age and developmentally appropriate curriculum. In this formative period in a child’s life, we believe it is important that they are provided age appropriate lessons, activities, and experiences for their learning and skill development.

We maintain a low teacher to class ratio, so there are two teachers in each Canterbury Day School class. The 3’s, 4’s, and 5K classes each have one teacher and one teacher’s aide. We select teachers who have experience working with young children and/or have a degree in child development or early childhood. In-service training sessions are held during the year and our teachers are encouraged to attend outside teacher workshops.

We provide loving care to each child and help them to develop individually in this formative period.
  • Our Goals

    – To help children learn about themselves and the world around them.

    – To help children learn how to interact with others in a positive way.

    – To offer age and developmentally appropriate opportunities and activities which foster growth and develop specific skills.

    – To help children develop their creativity and their problem solving skills.

    – To involve the teacher as a partner in the child’s education and growth. Through this partnership, the teacher strives to instill within the child a love and acceptance of himself and others.

  • Day School Curriculum

    All children develop differently. Because of this, we work at developing skills at the individual child’s own pace. The skills we concentrate on are:
    -Cognitive
    -Language
    -Self
    -Math
    -Gross and Fine Motor Skills

    Class curriculum is developmental, child-centered and flexible. The curriculum is teacher-created, using guidelines and resources from the National Association of the Education of Young Children, The United Methodist Church, Wonderfilled Weekdays, and many other valuable resource books.

    In conjunction with the use of Creative Curriculum, the CDC uses Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG) as the primary assessment tool. Children are assessed through observations of peer interactions and play, developmental checklists, and portfolios of their work. Assessment is documented and made available to the parents online.

  • 5K Curriculum

    Canterbury Kindergarten (5K) is designed to provide preparation for kindergarten or 1st grade. This is a real academic program that focuses on academic excellence and cognitive, physical, socio-emotional, and spiritual development. As a church school, we can balance things like academics, weekly chapel, play time, art, movement and music.

    Canterbury Kindergarten believes that learning should be fun. Our 5K curriculum is creative, stimulating, and developmentally appropriate, providing the academic foundation that children need. Some aspects we focus on:
    -Computer lab with class iPads
    -Weekly Chapel & Music & Movement
    -Letter People – a fun and hands-on way to learn letters and phonemic awareness
    -Everyday Counts Calendar Math – a great way to introduce children to a variety of mathematical concepts building confidence and competence

  • Hours of Operation

    AUGUST THROUGH MAY:

    MOTHER’S DAY OUT
    9 AM – 1 PM MON/WED OR TUES/THURS

    3K
    9 AM – 1 PM MON-THURS

    4K
    9 AM – 1 PM MON-THURS

    5K
    9 AM – 1 PM MON-FRI

    FUN FRIDAY CLASS
    9 AM – 1 PM FRI

Admission

Thank you for your interest in Canterbury Day School. Please contact the Day School office (205.874.1541) to inquire about openings.

2024-2025 Registration:

January 16, 2024: CUMC member registration for children not currently in the program.

January 17, 2024: Nonmember registration for children not currently in the program.

Online registration can be completed on the Day School page of the CUMC website from 9:30 AM-12:00 PM on the day of each registration.

  • 2024-2025 Tuition

    6 months – 2 years | $265/month

    3K | $395/month

    4K | $400/month

    5K | $495/month

  • Fees

    2024-2025 Registration Fee:
    $200 for all age groups

    2024-2025 Annual Supply / Facility Fee:

    6 months – 2 years $150

    3K $235

    4K $235

    5K $260

    2024-2025 Security Fee $150/child

Resources

  • Weather Warnings & Day School Closings

    The church administration will make the decision to close based on weather and road information, or circumstances (such as power outage, gas leakage) on or around the church campus that, in the opinion of the administration, would not be in the best interest of the participants of church programs or church staff. The church administration will make television and radio media aware of closings as soon as possible – no later than 6:00 am when circumstances allow. The Day School contracts with SchoolCast to notify parents of any closings or early openings or dismissals.

    Parents may not take their child once we are in the basement for a tornado warning. If you come to the basement, you must stay there, until it is safe for everyone to leave.

    No refunds or make-up days will be given due to inclement weather, or when there are closures due to facility issues unrelated to inclement weather.

    In case of a health emergency, Canterbury Day School will follow the closing procedures of the Mountain Brook School System.

  • Parent Advisory Council

    The Day School Advisory Council shall be the advisory body of the Day School ministry of Canterbury United Methodist Church. Membership is comprised of parents, teachers, and interested persons. Parents are encouraged to submit suggestions or questions concerning the program to the director and members of the Advisory Council.

    ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS 2023-2024:
    Allie Camp
    Sara Emily Clark
    Lindsey Fussell
    Sarah Gambrel
    Hilary Harrison (Chairperson)
    Camille Herndon
    Jennifer Holsomback
    Tarin Rafferty (Teacher Liaison)
    Julie Smith
    Virginia Smith

If you have questions or need more information, please contact:

Julie Smith

Day School Director (205) 874-1541

Jennifer Holsomback

Day School Assistant Director (205) 874-1541