Early Learning Center

We believe that young children learn best from active, hands-on facilitated experiences in a nurturing Christian learning environment that includes small groups, individual attention, as well as large group instruction for children 18 months through 5 years of age. Quality early childhood teachers develop and coordinate the flexible and creative curriculum to respond to the multifaceted challenges faced by today’s children and families. The lifelong educational journey is coordinated by our early childhood teachers to emphasize the joy of learning in these developmental domains:

*Intellectual: By exploring and using hands-on activities that build confidence and curiosity.
*Physical: By offering exercises that develop large and small muscle coordination, and develop gross and fine motor skills.
*Social/Emotional: By facilitating a sense of security and belonging by encouraging participation in group activities and cooperation with others.
*Spiritual: By weaving God’s Word into the daily program through Bible stories, Scripture, praise songs, and prayer.
*Creative: By exploring arts and crafts materials; and using them in new and individual ways.

St. John’s School and ELC are accredited through the National Lutheran School Accreditation. A district visiting team re-accredited our school and ELC in 2022. Re-accreditation is required every five years and each year a cumulative report is submitted for review.

The ELC is licensed by the State of Colorado, Department of Human Services, to provide childcare. The permanent child care license is available for viewing in the ELC office. The ELC’s Qualistar rating process and quality improvement plan commenced in 2007. 

Colorado Shines assists the ELC in achieving an ongoing quality improvement plan and provides detailed program information for the parents when searching for a quality child care center. This process is renewed every two years.

We are a Denver Preschool Program (DPP) Partner. We also go through CLASS rating with DPP. Our teachers score very high with this assessment tool that measures the language used with children to promote their higher-level thinking in a warm, nurturing environment. 

St. John’s ELC is an educational ministry of St. John’s Church, which is governed by a Board of Elders. The ELC Director manages day-to-day operations under the auspices of the School Principal. The School Ministry Team establishes policies and procedures for the school and assists the Director and School Principal in management decisions and fiscal affairs.

• Each day the Early Learning Center opens at 7:30 am and closes at 5:30 pm.

• Lunch and afternoon snacks are served each day. The meals meet the dietary recommendations for young children.
• Naptime is required for each child who stays all day. Children really do sleep in our classrooms when we darken the room and play quiet music! No child is forced to sleep, but after a fun morning full of activities, most of our children are fast asleep after a few minutes!
• The students go outside to play twice a day for full-day programs.
• Lesson plans are developed by the teacher each week and incorporate the school's curriculum and state standards for each age level.
• Each day we have Jesus Time in our classrooms and we have Chapel once a week. For Chapel, all our ELC students meet for about 15 minutes in the play court. One of our teachers or ministry staff leads a Bible story or Christian lesson, sings praise songs, and we all pray together. Siblings often sit together at this time.

These are the maximum teacher-to-student ratios in our classrooms: 

Toddlers 18-23 Months | 1 Teacher for every 5 Students

Toddlers 24 - 35 Months | 1 Teacher for every 7 Students

3 Year Old Preschool | 1 Teacher for every 10 Students

4 Year Old Pre-Kindergarten | 1 Teacher for every 12 Students

Our Teachers:

Most of our teachers have been at St. John's for more than 5 years. Also, most of our lead teachers are parents themselves and have been in education and care of young children for 15 years or more. Most of the workers in the ELC are full-time employees who are offered benefits and are committed to this career. To take a look at our teachers, please visit our Meet the Staff page!

We have two separate outside play areas.  One outside play area is for the toddler classes at the school entrance. The other outside play area is for the preschool and pre-Kindergarten classes and is located at the back of the school. Our playgrounds are safe and fun!

If your child is sick you are welcome to call and ask what we would recommend. The safest answer is if the child is not acting like themselves or is unable to participate in classroom activities, they should stay home. Here is a quick reference guide to help you decide: How Sick is Too Sick?

Please help to keep us all healthy! Hand washing plays an important role in staying healthy. We help your child wash their hands when they enter the classroom in the morning after drop-off.

At this time, Colorado State guidelines do not allow for any visitors due to COVID. If you would like to meet with our director and do an after-hours tour, please email elcinfo@sjdenver.org or call 303-733-3777 x 143.

Each special need will be considered on an individual basis. St. John's does not employ special teachers or instructors to work with specific needs. We do contract with Children's Hospital to provide a nurse consultant to train us to identify symptoms associated with severe allergic reactions and have been instructed on how to administer emergency medications for severe allergic reactions. Please speak with the director about your specific concern.