AGAWAM – In the Beginning, a new preschool, is making headway at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Parish.

The church, which is located on 833 Main St., opened the preschool’s doors late last fall. Claire Riberdy, the director of religious education at St. John’s, told Reminder Publishing that the idea for a preschool inside of the church came about after developing ideas for connecting with the community. The school was supposed to open in 2021, but the church decided to go through with it before 2020 ended.

“It’s a great way to minister to your parishioners and your community,” said Riberdy. “I know when I’m looking into preschools for my boys, it’s hard to find a place that you know you could trust. So we thought, at least we could offer that, and it’s a good setting.”

The schedule for the preschool runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and is available for children aged two years nine months to kindergarten ready. According to Riberdy, the school offers open applications, so parents or guardians can call anytime throughout the school year to see if they can fit their child in. The preschool is available to children in Agawam and other surrounding areas.

“If we have space, we’ll fit you in, and if not, we’ll put you on a waiting list,” said Riberdy. The first couple of hours of the daily schedule  are dedicated to help for working parents, while the learning portion of the day begins around 9 a.m. The main focus during the learning portion is to prepare children for kindergarten. Prayers will also be practiced during this time period too, according to Riberdy.

After lunch and a nap, children will participate in more learning activities to round up the afternoon session.

The preschool is unable to have volunteers help out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so Riberdy said that herself and another teacher are the two main instructors for the moment. They do plan on hiring more people in the future.

"The preschool is really open to anybody, no matter your religion or denomination,” said Riberdy. “As long as you except that we’re going to be talking about Catholic things, everybody’s welcome.”

To combat the COVID-19 virus, Riberdy is constantly sterilizing the premise, and parents and teachers are required to wear masks at all times. Single-use supplies are also being used to prevent the spread amongst the students.

“The good thing is, in a way, the kids are kind of used to it [the virus],” said Riberdy. “They don’t know much else.”

As of right now, classes are being taught inside of the St John’s gymnasium until the actual classrooms are constructed. According to Riberdy, the classrooms should be ready for operation sometime in April. For now, the church is making due with what they have, while preparing children for their future schooling.

“I find most the most excitement in all of the little things throughout the day,” said Riberdy. “One of my favorite things is when the students leave the preschool, but they all stay in touch, because the bonds that they made there are everlasting.”

Those looking for a preschool for their children can call the St. John’s office at 786-8105, ext. 103, to see if there are any open spots available.