About
Our Philosophy of Learning
Covenant Nursery School utilizes a developmentally appropriate, play-based approach to guide the path to children's learning. We believe each child's uniqueness must be appreciated and nurtured. Reknowned German educator Friederich Froebel, who created the first "kindergarten" or "children's garden," was an advocate of children creating their own learning. He likened education to a garden where children are given freedom to grow rather than a place to be molded. Children at Covenant Nursery School are encouraged to explore, wonder, create, make mistakes, question, and repeat experiences with teachers along to help guide their experiences. We focus on all the different areas of development in young children including: social/emotional, physical, cognitive and language.
Our goals include:
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Providing a warm and inviting classroom environment
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Providing a loving, highly-qualified staff who value secure relationships with every child
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Creating positive transition experiences from home to school
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Helping children develop self-confidence in their ideas and abilities
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Helping children learn pro-social ways of interacting with other children and adults
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Empowering children to speak up for themselves and learn that every child has a voice
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Helping children learn self-regulation and self-help skills — skills vital for elementary school
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Providing an engaging, play-based curriculum that encourages children to experiment and question
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Incorporating nature education and appreciation in all aspects of our curriculum, not just outdoor playtime
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Providing support for families as they navigate early childhood
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Connecting families with community resources
Our History
With a rich history since 1954, Covenant Nursery School has successfully transitioned through the years to become the school we are today
In 1954, Lois Lloyd founded Covenant Nursery School with eight children and one classroom on the second floor of Covenant United Methodist Church located at Harrison and Hartrey in Northwest Evanston. In 1960 the school moved into the church's new addition and added our first afternoon program in 1985.
In 2005, the nursery school had the opportunity to look for a new space. From 2005-2011, Covenant Nursery School was housed in the McGaw YMCA Children's Center located at 1420 Maple Street. Our four classes utilized three different rooms in the building. After an exhaustive search for permanent space, Covenant was thrilled to move into our current location at Trinity Lutheran Church, located at 3637 Golf Road in Evanston.
Our current space boasts newly constructed classrooms with windows in every room. Covenant is a warm, inviting and close-knit community of families. Our three classrooms all occupy a centralized space so that families in all classes get to know each other, the teachers, and the director well.
Covenant is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors made up of committed parents and community members dedicated to excellence of the preschool experience. Covenant Nursery School is non-sectarian, nondiscriminatory, private and not-for-profit.
