MADISON – Madison United Methodist Church is undergoing “Regeneration.” The preschool/nursery is one of the first areas to benefit.

The Regeneration renovation is more than just paint. “It’s a three-year, multi-stage renovation/updating of church areas built in 1948 and 1964,” Mia Slone said. Slone serves as chairperson of the preschool’s board of directors.

Regeneration also will revive two Sunday school wings, add an elevator and improve building accessibility and egress. Church officials asked “What we need going forward to grow our preschool and develop a full-time preschool program by August 2018,” Slone said.

For preschool, “our Regeneration mantra was ‘to the studs.’ We removed all old drywall. Our original five small classrooms were combined to create three spacious rooms with new maple cabinetry, granite countertops, flooring, furniture, rugs and two fire-escape doors. And new paint everywhere,” Slone said.

Ronnie Williams is leading the Regeneration committee.

Currently, 30 children are enrolled in four preschool classes: the Owls starting at 16 months; Monkeys, 24 months to three years; Tigers, three-year-olds; and Bears, four-year-olds.

“MUMC Preschool has an emergent curriculum with a strong focus on (learning) basic moral values and experiencing the joys of learning through discovery,” Slone said. Age-appropriate, daily activities reinforce monthly units and themes.

Students in this faith-based program learn about God’s love and creating us in his image. Four-year-olds graduate well prepared to succeed in kindergarten, she said.

Parents appreciate the “safe, loving Christian environment. We have amazing teachers and staff who care about each child,” Slone said. Preschool Director Allison Edgecomb and many teachers have enrolled their children and “are personally invested in (offering) the best education and environment.”

The eight staff members have college degrees, experience in early childhood education or both. A mother of three, Edgecomb earned a bachelor’s degree in religion from Susquehanna University and worked at First Baptist Day Care and with youth programs at Madison UMC.

Preschool hours are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with flexible schedules and two-, three-, four- and five-day options. Space is available for the 2017-2018 school year; applications are welcome.

A Madison native, Mia works as a software engineer at Northrop Grumman. Her husband Wes works in cybersecurity at AMCOM. The son Jordan, almost 3, has attended MUMC Preschool since he was 14 months old. Mia has attended Madison UMC for 21 years and served on finance and preschool committees and mentored youth and college students.

For information, call 256-772-9880, email allison@madisonum.org or visit Facebook/mumcpreschool.