Education

Program Mission
The St. Nectarios Day School mission is to provide an early childhood education program for the children in our community and the surrounding community where excellent academic standards are integrated within a faith-based program.

We will promote:

• • • • A safe and nurturing Christian environment
      • A faith-based early childhood program in which the llinois Early Learning Standards are interwoven, with the spiritual, moral, cognitive, and social aspects of child development
      • Loving and experienced teachers who value your child and believe every child is a gift from God
      • Classrooms filled with wonderful and engaging learning centers and activities that encourage curiosity, exploration, and problem solving
      • Enrichment programs that peak a child’s curiosity and allow them to explore the wonders of science, math, literature, fine arts, social studies, and language
      • An environment where children can develop confidence and independence

Program Philosophy
Our school philosophy emphasizes that children grow and learn best in an environment that provides “hands-on” discovery and experimentation through age-appropriate materials. We believe that children gain the greatest amount of constructive knowledge through direct exploring, problem solving, decision making, and discovery. At our school children will engage in symbolic play which allows a young child to express his or her thoughts and ideas, practice and rehearse new roles, and test out newly acquired knowledge and skills.

Program Mission

Sunday School offers an opportunity for the youth of our church (Pre-K to 12^th grade) to learn about the Orthodox faith including readings from the Old & New Testaments, significance of religious holidays and feast days, and understanding the lives of the saints. 

 We would like to welcome everyone to a new year of Religious Education.  Teaching children the beauty of the Orthodox Faith is very fulfilling. Our Teachers have  over 200 years of combined experience in bringing the word of God to our youth.  Parents are the first teachers of the Faith as living examples of planting the seeds of God’s word, and our teachers expand the experience.  This year we are embarking with a renewed emphasis on incorporating the Orthodox Faith into every aspect of our lives.  To begin, Father Chris’s sermon will coordinate with the lessons which are being taught in the classroom.  Information will be shared with parents so that they have the opportunity to discuss and reinforce what the students have learned in class.  It will open up avenues of conversation for the family.  Regular attendance is necessary to enhance continuity from the pulpit to the pupil. 

As in the past, attendance pins will be awarded for attending 2/3 of the Sunday classes.  Outreach projects will be arranged so that students see their Faith in action.

We also look forward to the 6th-High School participants of the St. John Chyrsostom Oratorical Festival in the Spring of 2022.  This gives the students an opportunity to showcase their knowledge of their Orthodox Christian faith in essay, icons, poems and other outlets. They also have the opportunity to win scholarships from the Metropolis and Archdiocese.

If you are interested in assisting with Sunday School, please contact Catherine Daglas (catherinepdaglas@gmail.com) or Peter Vichos (petervichos@gmail.com) . We look forward to a fruitful year of growing in the vineyard of the Lord.