The groundbreaking for Pacific Preschool and Kindergarten of San Elijo Hills, a 6,975-square-foot facility with a 10,000-square-foot outdoor playground, will take place at 10 a.m. on March 8, at the school site on Elfin Forest Road, across the street from San Elijo Middle School. The preschool and kindergarten, which will feature eight individual classrooms surrounding a large multi-purpose room, a kitchen and ancillary facilities, is scheduled to open in the fall, serving children from 18 months through kindergarten.
San Elijo Hills is the third location for Pacific Preschool, a private Early Education Program owned and operated by Lowell and Lynda Way. Other locations in South Orange County are accredited by the National Academy for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), a distinction earned by only 8 percent of preschools nationwide.
Pacific Preschool’s facility is being developed by DWO Enterprises of Rancho Santa Fe. Other members of the development team include Mascari Warner Architects of San Diego, Bycor General Contractors of San Diego, and landscape architects Weiland & Associates of Temecula.
“Pacific Preschool and Kindergarten is focused on ‘kindergarten readiness’ — developing the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual skills children need to succeed in school, said Lynda Way, an educator who established their first preschool in 1990.
“Schools are competitive environments,” said Way. “Putting a child who hasn’t gone to preschool in kindergarten with children who have gone to high-quality enriched preschools, is putting that child at a big disadvantage.”
Pacific Preschool prepares students for kindergarten in 125 different skill areas through programming that is engaging, creative, and fun. The school provides a safe and healthy learning environment, with teachers who have a bachelor’s degree and/or a California Department of Education teaching permit.
“In contrast to large corporate preschools, Pacific Preschool’s curriculum is based on the needs of its students – rather than on standards set at some faraway corporate headquarters,” said Way. “Each child is assessed and tracked to determine their kindergarten readiness; then a plan is developed to focus on their needs.”
According to Paul Borden, president of HomeFed Corporation, which oversees the development of San Elijo Hills, “We knew that there was great demand for a high-quality preschool in San Elijo Hills. When we visited Lowell and Lynda’s school in Ladera Ranch, we were impressed with the facility, the staff and the entire educational environment. We knew we had found the perfect match for our community.”
Pre-opening registration is underway and Pacific Preschool is planning a series of introductory orientation sessions to acquaint parents to the philosophy and curriculum of the school. For information, call (760) 510-0155 or visit www.pacificpreschool.com.
