FUMC Day School

Christ-Centered Early Childhood Education

Welcome

Welcome to the First United Methodist Church Day School of Florence, Alabama. We know choosing a preschool or childcare program is a big decision, and we’re honored to partner with your family as your child learns and grows.

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About Us

The First United Methodist Church of Florence Day School is an integral part of our church’s mission to love God, love others, and serve the world. For more than 50 years, we’ve provided quality, affordable preschool and child care for families in the Shoals area in a nurturing, Christ-centered environment.

Enrollment Interest

New families exploring enrollment in the upcoming Summer Enrichment Program (summer 2026) or the upcoming school year (2026-2027) are invited to share their interest with us. Submitting an enrollment interest form helps our team provide timely information about program availability, admissions timelines, and opportunities to learn more—without committing to enrollment.

Submit Enrollment Interest

Join Our Waitlist

When enrollment is at capacity, families may join our waitlist for the current school year (2025-2026) to be notified as space becomes available. Joining the waitlist does not guarantee placement, but ensures your family will be considered as openings occur.

Join the Waitlist

Our Programs By Age

Our Day School offers developmentally appropriate programs designed to support each stage of a child’s growth in a nurturing Christian environment.

Nursery Classes

A full-time program for infants ages 6 weeks to 13 months old. Students in the nursery class will be enrolled Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM–5:15 PM. These students will not need to enroll for Early Bird or Stay & Play services.

There is no attendance policy in the nursery class and families may utilize these available days/hours to suit their family’s needs. This class is tailored to meet the needs of infants and young toddlers.

Children in the nursery classes follow a baby-led schedule that includes multiple nap time(s) and bottle feeding. Each baby is assigned his or her own personal crib.

The nursery provides a safe environment for our youngest students and is a better fit for the 1-year-old student who may not be walking yet or is still taking multiple naps and/or using a bottle.

1-year-old Classes

We offer 2 classrooms for students who were 1-years-old on September 1, 2025. All 1-year-old students are enrolled 5 day/week in this program. Class time is offered each day from 8:00-12:00. During this time our toddlers engage in both small group and whole group instruction, gross motor playtime, singing and dancing, hands on learning and play.

Through the use of Frog Street students are offered a consistent and developmentally aligned toddler curriculum that supports social-emotional growth during early independence. Structured to helps toddlers explore, connect, and thrive.

Families may elect to use extended day services including an Early Bird drop off at 7:30 AM and Stay & Play hours from 12:00-5:15 each afternoon.

2-year-old Classes

We offer 2 classrooms for students who were 2-years-old on September 1, 2025. Students are eligible to attend this program 2 (Tuesday/Thursday), 3 (Monday/Wednesday/Friday), or 5 days/week. Class time is offered each day from 8:00-12:00. During this time our early preschoolers engage in both small group and whole group instruction, gross motor playtime, singing and dancing, hands on learning and play.

The Frog Street curriculum offers our 2-year-old students a movement-based learning, emotional safety, and foundational vocabulary with Conscious Discipline® integration for self-regulation.

Families may elect to use extended day services including an Early Bird drop off at 7:30 AM and Stay & Play hours from 12:00-5:15 each afternoon.

3-year-old Classes

We offer 2 classrooms for students who were 3-years-old on September 1, 2025. Students are eligible to attend this program 2 (Tuesday/Thursday), 3 (Monday/Wednesday/Friday), or 5 days/week. Class time is offered each day from 8:00-12:00. During this time our preschoolers engage in both small group and whole group instruction, gross motor playtime, singing and dancing, hands on learning and play.

The Frog Street preschool curriculum balances instruction that harnesses curiosity through structured exploration, increased language development, and social skills practice with embedded academic foundations. Three-year-olds are learning how to be part of a classroom. They expand vocabulary, test boundaries, and form new skills through exploration and interaction. This year is about learning how to learn, how to follow a routine, ask for help, and stay with a task just a little longer.

Families may elect to use extended day services including an Early Bird drop off at 7:30 AM and Stay & Play hours from 12:00-5:15 each afternoon.

First Class Pre-K

Our Pre-K classroom operates under a grant from the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education and is recognized as a First Class Pre-K site by the State of Alabama. This grant helps supplement funding and supports the highest standards of early childhood education.

Class Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Early Bird: 7:30 AM ($45/month)
Stay & Play: 2:30 – 5:15 PM ($5/hour)
Eligibility: Child must be 4 years old by September 1, 2026 and an Alabama resident
Enrollment Method: State-required lottery (not first-come, first-served)

Lottery & Registration

Families must complete registration through the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education between January 15 – March 3. A live virtual lottery drawing will be held on March 4 at 1:00 PM.

CLICK HERE to APPLY → Alabama State Pre-K Registration

Class Details

Class Size: Up to 18 students
Teacher Ratio: 9:1 (two teachers per classroom)
Curriculum: The Creative Curriculum for Preschool (6th Edition) and Frog Street Press

Tuition & Fees

There is no monthly tuition for students enrolled in the Alabama First Class Pre-K program. Early Bird and Stay & Play services are billed separately.

Field trips and classroom supplies are included. Catered lunch is available for $5/day. Optional enrichment classes such as ballet and TOTs basketball are offered for an additional fee.

If Your Child Is Not Selected

Students not selected in the lottery remain on a waiting list. In some years, a second non-funded Pre-K classroom may be offered. Movement from the waitlist is common as families finalize plans before the school year begins.

Transitional Kindergarten Class (TK)

This specialized classroom is for students who were 5-years-old on September 1, 2025 and eligible to attend Kindergarten. Class time is offered each day from 8:00-2:30. Families may elect to use extended day services including an Early Bird drop off at 7:30 AM and Stay & Play hours from 2:30-5:15 each afternoon.

We know the decisions facing parents as they determine their child’s academic path following Pre-K can be overwhelming. Our goal is to work with families to ensure their student’s forward academic progression while providing the gift of time for social and emotional development. The TK experience provides the next step in Kindergarten readiness for students who may benefit from an additional year of preschool before entering a formal Kindergarten classroom. We provide a cohesive experience that smoothly transitions students from a quality Pre-K to a challenging fifth year program.

Our TK class is lead by a certified teacher using the research based Creative Curriculum for Kindergarten in conjunction with the Heggerty Bridge to Reading & Writing curriculums. The students' progress in TK is closely monitored with GOLD documentation and regular parent communication.

Students will find many opportunities for rigorous skill development like counting, measurement, and language comprehension while also developing positive relationships, gross-motor skills, and problem solving abilities. We focus on developmentally appropriate goals and objectives for children within four main categories of interest: social/emotional, physical, cognitive and language.

2026 Summer Enrichment Program

FUMC Day School offers a variety of summer program options for children between the ages of 6 weeks old through post Fourth Grade. All students enrolled in the Summer Enrichment Program are enrolled three days per week- Tuesday through Thursday. The 2026 Summer Enrichment Program will begin on June 9th and run through July 16th. Please read through program choices to determine which program best fits your child.

Nursery

For infants ages 6 weeks to 13 months old on June 1st. Students in the nursery class will have the option to attend Tue.-Thur. 7:30 AM to 5:15 PM. These students will not need to enroll in Early Bird or Stay & Play. There is no attendance policy in the nursery class and parents should feel free to use the nursery hours in any way that best fits their family’s needs. This class is tailored to meet the needs of infants and young toddlers. Children in the nursery follow a baby led schedule that includes naptimes and bottle/feeding. The nursery provides a safe environment for our youngest students and is a better fit for the younger 1-year-old who is still taking more than one nap per day, still uses a bottle or is not yet self-feeding, or is not yet walking independently. If your 1-year-old would be better served in the nursery, we are happy to accommodate that request.

Preschool A

This program is for students who will be 14 months old through 4-years-old on June 1st. Students in the Preschool A program will attend Tue.-Thur. 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM with the option to utilize our extended hour services, Early Bird and Stay & Play. Students in the preschool programs will follow a Day School schedule. A morning snack will be provided by the Day School each morning. Students may bring their lunch from home or order a catered lunch. The class will eat lunch at 11:15 AM and start naptime at 12:00. Our summer session is filled with fun and enriching activities. All classes will be involved in “hands on” learning utilizing a play-based curriculum infused with lots of creative arts. This will be a fun summer full of excitement! Monthly calendars will be sent home detailing what your child’s class will be doing each day.

Preschool B

Just like Preschool A, this program is for students who will be 14 months old through 4-years-old on June 1st. Students in the Preschool B program will attend Tue.-Thur. 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM but do not have the option of utilizing all of our extended hour services. Students in Preschool B may sign up to use Early Bird drop off but Stay & Play hours are not an option for this class. Students in the preschool programs will follow a Day School schedule. A morning snack will be provided by the Day School each morning. Students may bring their lunch from home or order a catered lunch. The class will eat lunch at 11:15 AM and pick up time will be from 12:00-12:10 each day. Our summer session is filled with fun and enriching activities. All classes will be involved in “hands on” learning utilizing a play-based curriculum infused with lots of creative arts. This will be a fun summer full of excitement! Monthly calendars will be sent home detailing what your child’s class will be doing each day.

2026 Summer Enrichment Program- Elementary Students

All students enrolled in the Summer Enrichment Program are enrolled three days per week- Tuesday through Thursday. The 2026 Summer Enrichment Program will begin on June 9th and run through July 16th.

Elementary

One of our most popular programs that is highly sought after each year by our returning families. This program is for students who will be eligible for Kindergarten in August through those that have completed Fourth Grade. All elementary students attend Tue.-Thur. 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM with the option to utilize our extended hour services, Early Bird and Stay & Play. A morning snack will be provided by the Day School each day. Students will also have the option to purchase additional snacks from the canteen. Students may bring their lunch from home or order a catered lunch. The class will eat lunch at 11:15 AM on the days the class is not away from campus for a field trip. The elementary classes will enjoy a variety of “hands on” learning experiences and a variety of exciting field trips. Past field trips have included: Sky Zone, AMC Theater, splash pads, 72 Play, Cathedral Caverns, the Huntsville Space & Rocket Center, Let’s Play, EarlyWorks, the Cook Museum, Artsy Place, and much more! Students will enjoy full days of fun with friends new and old. Monthly calendars will be sent out detailing what your child’s class will be doing or going each day.

Families with a child enrolled in our elementary program will be asked to sign a student contract. Parents are asked to consider their child’s ability to safely attend field trips. When students leave campus they are expected to show respect to the places they visit, listen to their teachers, and stay with the class. This is imperative for the safety of all students and teachers. If a student cannot be respectful of property, listen and follow instructions from their teacher, and stay with their class, they will forfeit the ability to participate in this program.

We want to foster a safe environment for all students to enjoy activities and friendship. The use of foul language and curse words is not accepted at FUMC Day School. Additionally, elementary students are expected to refrain from physically harming their peers. Students who use unacceptable language or strike, hit, kick, punch, spit, etc. will be asked to withdraw from the program.

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