As part of our ongoing "Getting to Know Your Local Businesses" series, this week we sat down with Jule Metoyer, director of the Lamb of God Lutheran Preschool.
Tell us a bit about your business: What does your business offer, and how long have you been around?
We offer a combination of social experience, academic study, and spiritual guidance at our Early Childhood Center. We have loving and secure daycare programs for infants and toddlers, plus preschool programs for children between the ages of 2 and 5.
Our programs are built with the idea of
offering children a variety of learning experiences within a Christian
environment, providing opportunities for children to learn about Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Savior, activities to develop a healthy
self-concept, and experiences which fulfill spiritual, intellectual, and
physicals needs of our students.
The Lamb of God Lutheran Church
began in 1977 and we began a Mother's Day Out program several years ago.
In 2018, we opened our Early Childhood Center. In August, we will be
merging our Mother's Day Out and Early Childhood Center programs.
Last
year, we also launched Camp Swag, a summer program for elementary age
students. Initially, we began with 25 children and, this year, we are
expanding our enrollment.
How did you decide to get involved in this line of work?
I’ve always enjoyed working with children. I started in childcare when I was a junior counselor for the YMCA at 15 years old and never left. I was fortunate to create the Early Childhood Center program and I became a Director when an opportunity came my way over 15 years ago. I have really enjoyed the adventure that child care provides. I do have a Child Development Associates and Directors License (CDA).
Tell us a couple things you are proud of about your business. What are you known for? What separates you from the competition?
Our full-time childcare program offers 5 different classes based on the child’s age. Student-to-teacher ratios surpass the state required minimum by 40-50%, so you know your child will get the attention they deserve. Each class has its own classroom, with an age-specific curriculum. Our weekly tuition includes breakfast, morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack for all full care children.
Our Part-time program offers an opportunity for both children and moms. For children 18 months to 5 years old, this program enables parents time to run errands or work while their children are in the care of our loving staff, providing a structured and fun-filled day for their child. We offer two, three, or five day programs from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm, and two sessions, Fall/Spring and Summer.
All of our Programs offer curriculum, PE, Library, Music & Chapel for all ages. Computer Lab and Spanish are included in our 3 and 4-year-old programs.
What is your favorite part of running this business?
I enjoy creating on-site field trips, especially for our summer program. As part of our summer program, we offer 10 of these trips. Our children don’t leave our facility; instead, we have external educators come to our facility and infuse education within the on-site field trip.
Last year, we had space week with the Houston Museum in which an inflatable dome was set up on our campus, allowing our children to experience the first walk on the moon. The museum also brought videos to help us learn about rockets.
We’ve also had a crocodile encounter, along with other reptiles, lizards and animals, from an Arlington, Texas organization. We’ve learned how to make our own slime with special scents and learned all about the state of Hawaii, complete with food, culture, the creation of leis and took hula dance lessons.
Older children have also enjoyed an obstacle relay course during one of our on-site field trips.
Who is your ideal customer/client? Who do you serve best?
For our early childhood center, our ideal clients are families who want social activities for their children that will help them develop and grow. We believe that it’s never too early to start an education based on a relationship with Christ.
Is there any other information you'd like your potential customers/clients to know about your business?
In August, we will be opening our new computer library building.
For the upcoming school year, parents and church members will begin volunteering in our early childhood program. As one of our first collaborations, we are very excited about growing a garden together.
Mention this article and receive $20 off Summer Camp Registration or $20 off School Registration.
How do you see your business growing and improving over the next couple of years?
We will continue to give children the gift of an education and the knowledge of who Christ is by continuing to expand our educational programs. We’ve grown quickly based on community needs and we plan to keep expanding our programs as the community grows.
