Frequently Asked Questions
Classroom & Staff
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Everwild Preschool is co-founded by Dr. April Poindexter, our Director of Education, who holds a Ph.D. in Childhood Education and has extensive experience teaching in both elementary classrooms and higher education. Co-founder Anna Sauafea holds a bachelor's in organizational leadership and is currently pursuing her master's degree in I/O Psychology.
Because our preschool curriculum is Reggio Emilia inspired, we require our staff to be certified and well-versed in the approach. Our teaching team brings a variety of childcare experiences and backgrounds. We are committed to investing in our educators by providing time, resources, and encouragement to pursue continuing education and professional development. -
Classrooms are organized by developmental stage: Toddlers (12–24 months), Twos (24–36 months), Pre-School (3–4 years), and Pre-Kindergarten (4–5 years), each designed to meet children where they are developmentally. As students progress in their growth, teachers keep detailed documentation and student progress reports regarding growth for parents prior to aging up to the next classroom or reaching school age.
Communication & Vision
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Yes we do. We use the Playground app to stay connected with families throughout the day. Through the app, parents receive updates, photos, messages, announcements, and important communications.
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We value strong partnerships with families and welcome parents to visit Everwild Preschool. To maintain a safe, secure, and calm learning environment, we ask that classroom visits be scheduled in advance. This helps minimize disruptions to the children, ensures appropriate supervision, and allows us to preserve the safety and flow of the classroom while giving families meaningful opportunities to observe and connect with our program.
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At Everwild Preschool, we believe families are an essential part of a child's learning journey. We support parents by sharing curated parenting and child development opportunities and resources. Our "Partnering in Wonder" page maintains open, ongoing communication. Throughout the year, we also host family events that bring our community together to collaborate, celebrate milestones, and create meaningful connections.
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We value open, respectful communication and view parents as partners in their child's education. If a parent has questions or disagrees with a teacher's approach or assessment, we encourage a conversation with the teacher to understand the situation and work toward a shared understanding. If additional support is needed, school leadership will gladly join the conversation. Our goal is to collaborate with families, and make decisions that support the best interests, growth, and well-being of every child.
Curriculum, Learning Philosophy & Physical Space
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Everwild follows a Reggio Emilia inspired, child-led approach. Rather than a one-size-fits-all curriculum, teachers follow children's interests and turn them into meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that build confidence, independence, and critical thinking in addition to kindergarten readiness.
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At Everwild Preschool, our learning environment is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach and features primarily open-ended, natural materials rather than plastic or electronic toys. Children explore with materials such as wood, clay, loose parts, natural objects, and everyday items that encourage creativity, problem-solving, and imaginative play. By using familiar materials in new and meaningful ways, we foster curiosity, independence, and a lifelong love of learning.
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We believe children learn best by connecting with the world around them. Our program includes both indoor and outdoor classrooms, and children spend time outside each day whenever weather and safety conditions allow. Our outdoor environment encourages hands-on exploration, imaginative play, and physical movement through nature-based learning experiences, helping children build confidence, curiosity, and a love for the outdoors.
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Children at Everwild Preschool enjoy a variety of learning environments throughout the day. In addition to spending time in their classroom, they participate in enriching specials such as art, music, world language, and wellness activities that support both emotional and physical development. This approach gives children opportunities to explore new interests, build a wide range of skills, and engage in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences.
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Our pre-kindergarten program (ages 4–5) prepares children for a successful transition to kindergarten through engaging, long-term projects that encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, planning, collaboration, and communication. Alongside these experiences, children develop the academic, social-emotional, and self-help skills needed to enter kindergarten as confident, capable, and curious learners.
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Screens, tablets, and TVs are used minimally at Everwild Preschool. When technology is incorporated, it is used intentionally to enhance learning - For example, to share a meaningful experience, observe nature, or explore a topic of interest. Our focus remains on hands-on, play-based learning, meaningful interactions, and real-world exploration.
Health, Nutrition, & Guidance Policies
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Yes, nutritious meals, breakfast, lunch and snacks are included in tuition. We are committed to providing healthy options that support children's growth and learning. We also work closely with families to accommodate food allergies, medical needs, and dietary preferences whenever possible, helping ensure every child can eat safely and comfortably.
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No. Children do not need to be fully potty trained to enroll at Everwild Preschool. We partner with families to support each child's toileting journey with consistency and encouragement, recognizing that every child develops at their own pace.
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To help keep our school community healthy, children who are ill or have symptoms of a contagious illness should remain home until they meet our return-to-school guidelines. If a child becomes sick during the day, families will be contacted promptly for pickup.
Classrooms, toys, and high-touch surfaces are cleaned and sanitized regularly throughout the day and thoroughly disinfected as part of our daily closing routine. We follow Tennessee childcare health and safety guidelines to provide a clean, safe environment for every child.
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Multiple staff members are trained and certified in Pediatric CPR and First Aid as required by Tennessee childcare licensing standards.
Medication may be administered only with written parent/guardian authorization and in accordance with Tennessee childcare regulations. Prescription medications must be in their original labeled container, and all medications are stored securely and administered by trained staff following our medication administration procedures.
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The safety of every child is our highest priority. If a conflict such as hitting, biting, or aggressive behavior occurs, teachers intervene immediately to ensure all children are safe. Once everyone is secure, we help children identify their feelings, communicate their needs, and practice age-appropriate problem-solving and self-regulation skills. We will never compromise one child's safety for another. We partner closely with families to develop consistent strategies when ongoing behavioral challenges arise.
Operations & Safety
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We offer full-time care with convenient drop-off and pickup during our operating hours. Currently, we do not offer part-time enrollment or non-traditional schedules.
Our full-time program provides children with a consistent daily routine while ensuring stable enrollment. This allows us to offer dependable hours and pay for our teachers, helping us retain experienced educators and provide consistent, high-quality care for the families we serve.
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Yes. We are registered with Child Care Aware of America and accept eligible military childcare fee assistance programs. We also accept Tennessee state childcare assistance/vouchers for families who qualify.
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Safety is our top priority. Each entrance and exit of our facility has 24hr security monitoring connected directly to first responders that are alerted in the event of an emergency situation. All visitors must be verified with our front office staff in order to access our lobby. No exceptions.
Vendors must coordinate visits ahead of time. Unannounced visitors are required to present valid identification, explain the purpose of their visit, and always remain with a trusted staff member while on campus. -
The safety of our children, families, and staff is our highest priority. If severe weather creates unsafe conditions for children to remain at the school or makes travel unsafe for drop-off or pickup (such as snow, ice, tornadoes, flooding, or hazardous road conditions), Everwild Preschool may delay opening, close early, or remain closed.
We will communicate any schedule changes as quickly as possible through phone calls, text messages, email, and the Playground app.
Tuition & Fees
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Yes. Tuition includes nutritious meals and snacks. To support our Reggio Emilia-inspired, project-based curriculum, families are charged a $10 monthly curriculum fee, which helps provide the unique materials and supplies children use during hands-on investigations and creative learning experiences.
Families will be notified in advance if an optional special event or off-site field trip involves an additional cost.
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Yes, tuition remains the same during family vacations, absences, and sick days to reserve your child's space in the program. Consistent tuition allows us to maintain appropriate staffing levels, provide stable schedules and pay for our teachers, and ensure a high-quality learning environment for every child.
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A late pickup fee will be assessed when a child is picked up after closing. This fee is not intended to penalize families; rather, it helps compensate the staff members who remain after hours. Our teachers have families, personal commitments, and responsibilities outside of school, and honoring our closing time allows them to maintain a healthy work-life balance and prepare for another great day with the children.