{"id":80,"date":"2026-03-12T23:56:47","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T23:56:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lightofchristco.com\/?page_id=80"},"modified":"2026-08-11T20:15:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T20:15:16","slug":"about-our-program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.lightofchristco.com\/?page_id=80","title":{"rendered":"About our Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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We believe that early childhood should be a time of curiosity, discovery, security, fun, warmth, and exploration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Light of Christ Preschool in Loveland, Colorado is the first Orthodox Christian preschool in the state of Colorado, and is a ministry of Saint Spyridon Orthodox Church. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is our aim to supplement the home in providing experiences that promote the spiritual, intellectual, social\/emotional, and physical development of the young child while keeping Christ at the center of all we do.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Our Philosophy of Education<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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The purpose of education is to cultivate human-ness in human beings, as persons created in the image and likeness of God. In the Orthodox Christian tradition, this formation is not merely intellectual but deeply spiritual and moral. Education is a sacred task that begins with acknowledgement of the child as a person and leads them to grow into communion with God, others, and the world around them.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students will be invited into learning in an environment that nurtures goodness, truth, and beauty\u2014qualities that reflect the divine order. While young children will have many opportunities for joyful play and exploration, their choices will not be limitless. Rather, they will be guided to select from a banquet of lovely and good things that have been prayerfully and intentionally chosen for them. This formation of taste and desire is part of their becoming fully human.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children will grow through prayer, play, social interaction, and guided instruction in history, science, phonics, and mathematics. Each subject will be presented with wonder and with gratitude to God, who is the source of all truth and wisdom. Lessons will be shaped by stories, nature, music, biblical lessons, and liturgical rhythms that draw the child\u2019s heart toward what is eternal.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Classrooms will be led by teachers who strive to embody a Christian way of life, recognizing their role as co-workers with God in the formation of souls. These teachers will lead by example, encouraging students to cultivate inner stillness, attentiveness, and love for neighbor.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students will also learn to love and serve their community through the practice of manners and the disciplines of orderliness and cleanliness\u2014acts that reflect respect for the image of God in every person and care for the space entrusted to them. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this way, education becomes a path of theosis: the lifelong process of becoming more like Christ.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Meet our Teachers<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Emilee Chavez – Director & Lead Teacher<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Emilee Chavez is a Southern Minnesota native who was raised on a dairy farm with her parents and two brothers. After graduating from undergrad, she taught elementary ELL for two years in Southern Haiti before moving to Colorado and teaching at a local charter school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emilee believes that education is a tool that Christ uses to illumine the hearts of humanity, and is excited to work with some of our community’s youngest members as they learn and grow. Her favorite subjects to teach are phonics and character. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mrs. Chavez in preschool<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Faith Hamlow – Assistant Teacher<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Faith Hamlow is originally from Alaska, where she grew up with her parents and two younger sisters in a family fishing and lodging business. She graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor\u2019s degree in Business Administration and Management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faith discovered her love for working with children and families while volunteering. She is so excited to begin her first year of teaching and especially loves spending time with preschoolers! Her favorite subjects are art, science, and spiritual formation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mrs. Hamlow in preschool<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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We believe that early childhood should be a time of curiosity, discovery, security, fun, warmth, and exploration. Light of Christ Preschool in Loveland, Colorado is the first Orthodox Christian preschool in the state of Colorado, and is a ministry of Saint Spyridon Orthodox Church. It is our aim to supplement the home in providing experiences…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-80","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lightofchristco.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/80","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lightofchristco.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lightofchristco.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lightofchristco.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lightofchristco.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=80"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.lightofchristco.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/80\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":300,"href":"https:\/\/www.lightofchristco.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/80\/revisions\/300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lightofchristco.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=80"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}