Good Shepherd School, a non-profit Catholic pre-school in Charlestown, has been educating children from two to five years old since its opening in 2009.
Good Shepherd School Director Jessica Briley said the school currently has a total enrollment of 53 students.
The pre-school has “four quite big and big bright classrooms,” according to Briley, who became the director in 2016. Two teachers work with students of a similar age in each classroom.
“The school day starts at 8 a.m. and the main program ends at noon, but a lot of families choose to stay for the full day,” noted Briley.
Students receive a well-rounded education that includes a weekly lesson in religion, a program led by Curriculum Director Abigail Cherry. The students also assemble twice a month in the chapel, expanding on the lessons taught in the classroom.
The curriculum allows students to focus on social-emotional learning, how to participate in a group setting, how to be a good friend, along with the writing, reading, and math skills.
Students also get to participate in athletic-oriented activities, Mini Movers dance, and an NEMPAC (North End) music class.
Good Shepherd has an excellent teacher-to-studio ratio and a staff of 15, including Briley, who is a graduate of Fitchburg State University and holds a master’s degree in Special Education from American International College.
Briley is proud of the school’s outstanding reputation and is optimistic about the future.
“The school is doing really well,” said Briley. “We think a pre-school program is great because it gets students ready for school, so they go into K-1 and kindergarten really prepared.”