"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."

Luke 2:52

As a year-round preschool offering separate enrollment for the school year and summer semester, Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool offers a unique opportunity for families in our community. As a ministry of Ridgecrest Baptist Church, our desire is to create an environment that lays the foundation for all children to become more like Christ.

Overview

Our theme verse, Luke 2:52, states "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."
To that end, our focus is on the following areas of development:

Wisdom (Cognitive/Mental Development)

Children are given opportunities to help them to develop their language, communication and creativity as well as learn to make choices and solve problems.

Stature (Gross/Fine Motor Development)

Children participate in individual and group play that will enhance their motor skills as they learn the value of keeping their bodies healthy and safe.

Favor with God (Spiritual Development)

Children are guided in growing in their biblical knowledge through Bible stories, worship through music, and prayer as they grow in their desire to apply principles of God’s Word to their own lives.

Favor with Man (Social/Emotional Development)

Children are taught to respond to others with Christ-like behavior, follow direction from adults and to take turns with others.  The staff also works with the children to help them develop a positive sense of self and to understand that they are made in the image of God.

Hours & Ages Accepted

Hours
Monday through Friday
Preschool: 8:30 - 12:00
Early Room: 8:00 - 8:30
Lunch Bunch: 12:00 - 2:00
Ages Accepted

15 months (walking and drinking from a cup) to four years old

Tuition & Fees

Tuition

Toddlers:
2 days per week (Tuesday and Thursday) = $200 per month
3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) = $220 per month
Parents desiring their toddler to attend 5 days per week may enroll their child in both a 2-day and 3-day class.

Two-Year-Olds:
2 days per week (Tuesday and Thursday) = $200 per month
3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) = $220 per month
Parents desiring their two-year-old child to attend 5 days per week may enroll their child in both a 2-day and 3-day class.

Three-Year-Olds:
2 days per week (Tuesday and Thursday) = $200 per month
3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) = $220 per month
5 days per week (Monday through Friday) = $250 per month

Four-Year-Olds:
5 days per week (Monday through Friday) = $250 per month 
Fees

Annual Enrollment Fee = $75 (non-refundable)

Supply Fees:
2 day classes = $110 per school year
3 day classes = $130 per school year
5 day classes (Three-Year-Olds) = $150 per school year
5 day classes (Four-Year-Olds) = $160 per school year
A separate supply fee will be charged in the spring for children attending the summer semester.

Early Room Fees:
$4 per day billed and prepaid (requires monthly commitment)
$5 per day drop-in (available to enrolled children, if space available)

Lunch Bunch Fees:
$8 per day billed and prepaid (requires monthly commitment)
$10 per day drop-in (available to enrolled children, if space available)

Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool Staff

Hillery Johnson

Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool Director
Hillery graduated from Mississippi College with a degree in Elementary Education.  She taught four-year-old preschool for two years, worked in church preschool for five years, and has been director at Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool since 2016.  She has a golden doodle named Shep.  Her favorite verse is Romans 5:5, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom was given to us.”

Kathleen James 

Ridgecrest Weekday Assistant Director
Kathleen graduated with a masters degree in early childhood/special education from Saint Joseph’s College.  She has been at Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool since 2019, as our four year old teacher and assistant teacher.  In 2022, she completed her certification to be a director designee.  Kathleen and her husband have three children. 

Kala Beggari

Toddlers Teacher
Kala began working at Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool in 2017 as a teacher assistant.  In 2019, she became lead teacher of our toddler class.  Kala and her husband Sona have three children: Steve, Samuka, and Sammy.  Toddlers are her favorite age group because they are so curious and always learning about the world around them.

Whitney Cloyd

Threes Teacher
After moving from Tennessee, Whitney joined Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool in 2019.  She and her husband Matt have a son, Maverick.  Whitney loves to watch her preschoolers grow and achieve new things.  Her favorite verse is Isaiah 12:2, “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.”

Vicki Marcellus

Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool Twos Teacher
Vicki taught two year olds for three years before she began at Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool in 2016.  She and her husband Harvey have 9 children: Amy, Beverly, William, Joey, Helen, Lucy, Ricky, Lily, and Mary.  Her favorite verse is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

Sarah Maruszak 

Fours Teacher
Sarah graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.  She has taught several years before beginning as our two year old teacher at Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool in 2022.  She and her husband have three children. 

Sarah Jackson 

Threes Teacher
Sarah taught for four years before coming to Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool in 2017.  She taught the two year old class for five years before becoming the three year old teacher in 2022.  She and her husband Charles have two children, Alice and Hank.  Her favorite verse is Ephesians 2:8-10, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” 

Andrea Regan

Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool Ministry Assistant
Andrea was a secretary for an engineering company in Pearl, MS, before beginning as our Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool Ministry Assistant in 2016.  She and her husband Jodie live in Madison and have two grown daughters, Taylor and Ashley.  Andrea’s favorite Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 1:9 “Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”

Carlie Maruszak

Twos Teacher
Carlie graduated from Mississippi College and began at Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool in 2021.  
She serves as our assistant teacher, helping with all the teachers and preschoolers. She and her husband have two children. 

Lesia Smith

Teacher Assistant
Lesia taught preschool for two years before coming to Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool in 2020.  She serves as our teacher assistant, helping with all the teachers and preschoolers.  Lesia has three children and a grandchild. 

Helen Marcellus

Art Teacher
Helen graduated from Copiah Lincoln Community College with a degree in Art. She has taught private lessons in art for 2 years and this will be her second year as the Preschool Art Teacher at Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool. Her favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" 

Wendi Thomas

Gross Motor Movement Teacher
Wendi Thomas graduated from Mississippi State University. She began teaching the Movement class at Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool in 2019.
She and her husband Dave live in Madison and have four children, Matt, Ashley, Sam and Brooke.  Her favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean not on your on understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. 

FAQ for Weekday Preschool

How do I enroll my child?
 To schedule a tour or inquire about potential placement of your child with Ridgecrest  Weekday Preschool, please contact us by email or call 601-853-9100.
What is lunch bunch?
Lunch Bunch is offered for toddlers through four-year-olds from 12:00 - 2:00 each day following preschool. Parents may sign up their children for Lunch Bunch for specific days for a month or may choose to drop in as space is available. Children staying for Lunch Bunch bring a healthy lunch from home.

Optional extracurricular opportunities such as dance, soccer, and computer classes may be made available for three- and four-year-olds through outside providers at an additional cost to parents.
Are there background checks on preschool employees? 
Yes.  All volunteers with exclusive supervisory control over any minor at Ridgecrest must apply and/or interview with age-appropriate staff, and submit to a background check as well as proper training (15 hours + sexual abuse awareness training).
Where can I find more information?
Click below to access our Facebook page and parent handbook.
What schedule does Ridgecrest Weekday Preschool follow?
Our calendar will closely follow the Madison County School District calendar.

Holidays and closings will include:

Labor Day
Fall Holiday
Teacher Training (October)
Thanksgiving Break
Christmas Break
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
Spring Break
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Memorial Day Holiday
Independence Day (summer semester)
Teacher Training (week after summer semester ends)
Can I work at Ridgecrest Weekday  Preschool?
Click here to view current opportunities. Postings are updated throughout the year as needed. Teaching positions include school year only, summer only, or year-round.

Contact Us

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LEARNING THROUGH PLAY.  GROWING THROUGH SPIRIT.