Get to Know the Ark

• The Children's Ark at St. George's opened its doors on October 4, 1995, after two years of planning and construction. The Ark helped to revitalize St. George's by attracting young families.

• The Ark is St. George's major outreach effort, helping to fill a major community need by providing top-quality day care services.

• The Ark began in 1995 with two staff members and six children.

• Today a staff of 30 serves 91 children from 72 families.

• Since 1995 the Ark has served over 500 families from Delaware, Montgomery and Chester counties.

• The Ark is open Monday to Friday year-round, from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

• The Ark has eight classrooms, offering five levels of care: infants, toddlers, young pre-school, preschool and pre-K.

• Ark staff use a curriculum developed specifically for the Ark, supplemented with Handwriting Without Tears, a program used by the Haverford School District.

• Fr. Ryan reads stories out of a children's Bible to the Ark children on Thursday mornings.

In 2008, First Lady Michelle Obama visited the Ark and read to the children.

• A third of the staff has degrees in early childhood education or a related field. Another third has the CDA (Child Development Associate degree). By 2011, all staff will have the CDA or a higher degree.

• The Ark passed its inspection by the Department of Public Welfare with flying colors. The inspector said that the Ark "would be a hard act to follow!"

• Joanne Haley is Executive Director and June Jaquith is Administrator, both parishioners of St. George's.

• The Ark is governed by a Board of Trustees made up of members of St. George's and parents of children enrolled at the Ark.
  

• The Ark is a member of NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), DVAEYC (Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children), CCPN (Child Care Provider Network) and DCECEA (Delaware County Early Childhood Education Association). The Ark participates in the Keystone STARS Program to improve programs serving young children.