By Suzanne Schmidt
Staff Writer
At Land O’ Lakes Christian School, students learn more than just their ABC’s.
The school, 5105 School Road, is adding a new program in August for 3-year-olds by Sept. 1.
Students will actually be learning their letters shapes and sounds, their numbers and pre-writing and pre-reading skills. Denise Smith is assistant to the administrator and kindergarten and elementary school coordinator.
“All those learning habits will help them as they get older,” Smith said. “They also learn how to be in a social environment. They learn when it is OK to talk and when it is not their turn.”
Through the program, students will learn more than just the alphabet and numbers.
“We develop integrity and character,” Smith said. “We want it to be Godly character. It is based on all the fundamental things they need. We teach them to be responsible, compassionate, generous and truthful. It makes them a better person, not just a better learner.”
Even though the school does offer before and after school daycare, the new program will not be a daycare program.
“We take a three-prong approach to teaching,” Smith said. “We present them with the information in a variety of methods with auditory, visual and tactile. We are reaching them on all of these levels. It needs to be engaging and fun but there also has to be enough structure for them to be able to learn.”
Many people might think 3 is too young to start teaching but Smith does not agree.
“They are eager and ready at that age,” Smith said. “They are sponges. You just have to have the proper structure for developing appropriate practices and the 3-year-olds will thrive in that environment.”
When deciding to create the program, Smith said she was thinking about what the community needed.
“We are central to Pasco and Land O’ Lakes and we are trying to meet the needs of the families here,” Smith said.
The program will be offered in three ways. Students can be enrolled in a two-day program on Tuesday and Thursday, a three-day program on Monday, Wednesday and Friday or a five-day program meeting all week.
“I know there are some children and parents who are not ready for a five day program,” Smith said. “Being able to meet people’s needs is a part of our Ministry. We serve the community through our love of Christ.”
In Robin de le Rosa’s 5-year-old kindergarten class, students are already learning to write in cursive.
Jorge Santana, 5, is in de le Rosa’s class at the school.
“I like it here because I have very many best friends,” Santana said.
Ella Knouse, 5, said she loves her class, too.
“I like my teacher because she teaches me good stuff,” Knouse said.
The school is a part of First Baptist Church of Land O’ Lakes. The church has been around 78 years and the school has been operating for more than 30 years. The school is fully accredited through the Department of Education and the PK3 and 4 programs have the gold seal, a designation from the Department of Children and Family Services for going above and beyond the basic program guidelines.
Currently there are 200 students enrolled at the school in the K4, K5 and first through 12th grades. Class sizes for all grades are from 12-14 students.
Smith said the classes are probably going to fill up fast. Registration is open now and will continue to stay open until they fill up. For information, call (813) 995-9040 or visit www.fbclol.org/lolcs.
