Christ-Centered.

Quality. Caring.

Excellence in Education for God’s Precious Lambs

ABOUT US

It is our mission to share the love of Jesus with children and families by providing Christ-centered, excellent early education. We have earned our NC five-star license, and NAEYC accreditation, which reflects the high standards to which we hold our teachers and our program. Most importantly, we teach children and families about their “Refuge and Strength, our ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1) found in the love of Jesus, our Savior.


Refuge Early Learning Center was established as Precious Lambs Early Learning Center in 1997 and provided excellent, Christian care and early education for 25 years under that name as a part of the ministry of Gethsemane Lutheran Church. In 2023, our entire ministry rebranded as Refuge. Under our new name, we continue to offer the same excellence in care and Christian education as a ministry of our church.

Curriculum & Philosophy

We know that your child is your most precious gift. We believe that the best atmosphere for learning is one in which collaboration between home and school is strong. It would be an honor to partner with you for your child’s growth. Working together, we aim to provide a close-knit community for children to learn and grow in many ways:

Faith - The children learn of their Savior and his deep love for them as it is integrated throughout the curriculum and their interactions with their teachers and each other. Our developmentally appropriate, biblically-accurate Bible curriculum leads our entire student body in a singular weekly Bible lesson, which is reviewed in a weekly chapel with our campus pastor, Pastor Phil Kiecker. 

Social & Emotional Skills - A child’s social and emotional skills are a very important part of the foundation needed for learning and growth. Following Conscious Discipline philosophies, using stable routines, explicit teaching of social emotional skills, and gentle, consistent guidance, the children learn focus and self-control, perspective taking, effective communication, and confidence to take on challenges.  

Academics - Research shows that child-led investigations and hands-on, project-based exploration build critical thinking, problem solving, and confidence. Using the Creative Curriculum, our teachers guide learning by harnessing the power of play through studies designed to also foster pre-reading and writing skills, mathematics, social studies, science and much more!

We use authentic observations and documentation of children’s learning to guide assessments based on the North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development (which ensures a smooth transition into kindergarten programs). Teachers hold parent-teacher conferences twice per year for families and teachers to collaborate on the child’s learning.

Healthy Living - Children learn to take care of their bodies through healthy eating, exercise, and instruction in safety and cleanliness. We participate in the CACFP (Child and Adult Care Food Program) to provide healthy, USDA-approved snacks and lunches cooked onsite daily. We also provide a natural, outdoor learning environment for large motor play and interaction with God's beautiful creation for a minimum of an hour each day.

Program

We want to provide the very best in care and education out of love for the precious little ones entrusted to our care and to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Our program meets the highest, research-based standards for early learning and development as outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the NC state five-star licensure.

We have five, close-knit communities of learning and development for children ages 6 weeks – 5 years old. We are open from 7:30am – 5:30pm. Families can enroll in the 8-hour school curriculum as well as optional extended care within the hours of operation.  

We offer a school year schedule and a summer program.

Classrooms & Teachers

We work hard to find, nurture, and keep teachers who love God, love children, and are passionate about teaching. All of our Lead Teachers have a minimum of an Associate Degree in Education, and everyone on our team continues their education every year to remain up-to-date with research-based practices in Early Childhood Education. 

In all of our classrooms, teachers use learning objectives, which align with state and national standards, to plan learning activities. Teaching about God, his great love, and salvation for us is woven into everything we teach. Children in all classrooms also get to participate in "specials" such as Sign Language, Spanish, music, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math), Weekly Readers, sports opportunities, and chapel. 

Safety & Parent Communication

We take your child’s safety very seriously. All of our exterior doors are locked at all times, and enrolled parents receive a key fob programmed for only their approved hours. We have security cameras throughout the building and playgrounds as well. All staff have state-approved background and medical checks.

We use an all-inclusive software/app called Brightwheel for both safety and communication. Parents use it to check children in and out, communicate with their child’s teacher, and receive daily updates including photos about their child’s day at school, growth, and development!

Enrollment

Tuition & Fees

Enrollment: $100 Registration Fee (non-refundable)

Tuition: Our tuition is based on age of the child and enrollment status (full or part-time). Monthly and weekly payment options are available. Please inquire for specific information. We aim to keep our tuition affordable because it is our mission to reach as many families as possible with quality education, loving care, and the message of our Savior! Therefore, our preschool program is non-profit and supported in part by Refuge Church.  We would like all children to be able to attend, whatever the financial circumstance may be.

Part-time enrollment is limited to a few 2 or 3 day/week spots in each classroom. Please contact us for availability and pricing.

Refuge Early Learning Center welcomes all children to enroll in our preschool programs. Refuge ELC does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national and ethnic origin, or sex in the administration of any programs, policies, and practices. 

Steps to Enroll

At this time all of our classrooms are full for the 2023-24 school year. The waitlists for the infant-2s classes are currently full as well, so we cannot accept applications for these classrooms at this time. We will reopen these waitlists after we complete the re-registration process with current families around August 2024.

  1. Come and visit us! Talk to the director and our teachers to see how Refuge Early Learning center can be a good fit for your family.

  2. Fill out this application and return to the director along with the registration fee to secure a spot. We keep families on the waitlist in the order of application date unless the family tells us otherwise.

  3. We will reach out to you to let you know your status on the waitlist or on the class roster when we go through the registration process around February of each year. 

  4. When a space in the classroom becomes available for your child, we will reach out to you! New students are usually able to start at the beginning of each school year. 

Discounts & Scholarships

NC DHHS Subsidy: We do accept subsidy vouchers awarded by the state.

Sibling Discounts: We offer a 10% discount on sibling tuition.

Bible Class Scholarship: We invite you to take a Bible Information Course with the pastor. There are 12 sessions total that will help you to better understand what we teach and believe at Refuge. Once the course is completed, there is a $30/month discount because we want to support you in your efforts to be the best spiritual leader for your child that you can be!

Tuition Assistance: Tuition Assistance is funded mostly by donations from the members of Refuge Church, who believe that the Christian education and love at Refuge Early Learning Center is such a valuable gift that should be accessible to all families. Assistance is awarded based on current family needs and current funds available. Please contact the director for more details about applying for or donating to Tuition Assistance.

“Refuge Early Learning Center is truly a partnership between parents, educators, and spiritual leaders. It is a special place where children grow to be their best selves; curious about the world and developing a love of learning and the Lord.”

— Michelle S. (Parent & Educator)