First Christian Pre-Primary School

I tried to meet with the Director of the school with concerns over her alleged lack of diversity training and confirmed absence of inclusive policies, but I met with multiple unreturned phone calls and emails. This confirms the other critical reviewer's comments, and I must also affirm their decision to take their children elsewhere. Find a better, more responsible preschool for your children, and shame on this particular church for being inconsistent with its messaging about "inclusion."

Albany First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has a long term mutually beneficial relationship with the First Christian Pre-Primary School. While the preschool is housed in our building, they are a separate, independent organization with their own Board and not-for-profit status. We enjoy a very positive relationship with the preschool and believe they do amazing work with their students. Many of our members are alumni themselves and/or parents and grandparents of children who have attended the Preschool. Some members of our church have served on their Board. Our Congregation supports the mission and values of the First Christian Pre-Primary School, which provides a high quality preschool education, as well as badly needed speech and language services. The Director and teachers work with the utmost integrity and dedication to provide the best education possible to their students. The members of Albany First Christian Church believe the preschool is a valuable asset to our community and it is a wonderful and joyful way to utilize our upstairs space.

The Board of Albany First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Paula Moore and Nadine Wood, Co-Chairs

I tried to meet with the director of this preschool, Beth Morse, on multiple occasions because I had heard unsavory reports about her staff, and I had concerns about the fact that the school refused to include anti-discriminatory language regarding the LGBTQ+ community. Despite using the same name, the school is completely unrelated to the church and only usurps space in the church's building. It does not share any of the church's distinguishing values, especially not its inclusive approach to certain, marginalized demographics. As it turned out, I only got one meeting with the director, and we never even got to discuss my main concerns. Beth had brought in an emotionally disturbed woman, S. Staton, to disrupt the discussion, which she, along with Beth's father, did with considerable dramatics.

After the failed attempt to have a reasonable discussion, Beth told me that I needed to speak with the preschool's board members, not her. But when I tried to meet with the members I didn't already know, they made it clear that Beth had instructed them not to talk to me. This not only proves Beth Morse to be a coward, but also a liar. None of my concerns were ever addressed or even given a fair hearing. Absolutely disgusting.

I remain thankful that I never entrusted my children to this feckless and dishonest preschool director and her non-church board members. I encourage other parents to find a more reputable pre-primary school as well.