The quality of our program and preschool is due to the quality of the staff. It is vital to have staff that is experienced and educated. All staff members will be required to have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. Each classroom lead teacher will hold an Associates Degree or higher in the field of early childhood education. Each classroom is staffed with two full-time teachers and additional part-time staff float between our classrooms to help where they are needed.

Each staff person must receive 20 hours of continuing education in child development or special education each year. This requirement is over and above what state licensing regulations require and is crucial in maintaining qualified teachers for the ongoing success of the Little Neighbors Preschool program.

The individual developmental needs of each child are considered when placement decisions are made. We do not move children from one class to the next at a certain date. We take into consideration their social and emotional skills, as well as, their ability to communicate their needs at each age level. In all groups of children, there will be varying ability levels.

• Infant Rooms – Max number of children, 10, between the ages of 6 weeks and 18 months with two teachers. We maintain a ratio of 2:10 at all times.
• Toddler Rooms – Max number of children, 21, between the ages of 30 – 48 months with two teachers. We maintain a ratio of 2:21 at all times.
• Preschool Rooms – Max number of children, 21, between the ages of 3-5 years with two teachers. We maintain a ratio of 2:21 at all times.

Little Neighbors Preschool takes the safety of their families and students very seriously. We have invested in state of the art security systems and procedures to allow parents to feel comfortable and at peace while they are away from their children. We have have a three step secure arrival and pick-up procedure, and an automatic lock down procedure with the push of a button.

We make every effort to be prepared for potential emergencies. Little Neighbors Preschool has an emergency response plan for fire, inclement weather, or if a lockdown becomes necessary. This plan is updated annually and submitted to the state. These plans are reviewed annually with the staff. Additional precautions we take in the event of an emergency are:

• Emergency phone numbers are posted by all phones.
• LNP keeps an emergency “To-Go” bag in each classroom with first aid supplies and emergency contact information for all students and staff.
• Fire drills are practiced once each month, and shelter-in-place drills every three months to prepare children in the case of an emergency.
• Emergency evacuation plans are posted in each room.
• Annual inspections by the Bentonville fire inspector. If an emergency requires evacuation, we’ll notify you as soon as the children have been relocated to a safe area.

We understand that holding our staff and facility to the highest standards is an important aspect of picking the perfect early childhood center for your family. Little Neighbors Preschool is in the process of becoming Better Beginnings star certified. The higher the quality of play and experiences, the better prepared children will be for kindergarten. It is our commitment to our families to become a Level 3 facility by the end of 2024.

What is the purpose of Better Beginnings?

Better Beginnings is designed to improve the level of quality in child care and early childhood education programs across the state. Better Beginnings distinguishes the quality of each Arkansas child care facility by a star rating system of levels 1 through 6. More stars mean higher quality child care.

How is a program rated for their quality of child care?

Better Beginnings works with providers to train their staff and build a better learning environment. Rating requirements include education and professional development for the director administrator and teachers, assessment of the learning environment, curriculum and activities for learning through play.

What type of education do children receive in a Better Beginnings program?

Better Beginnings early childhood educators prepare children for kindergarten with positive experiences, research-based curriculum, and learning through play. Better Beginnings curriculum is based on the early learning and development guidelines of math, science and literacy.

Early Childhood Education is more than just learning the alphabet, counting and recognizing colors. At Little Neighbors Preschool we value and understand that these skills are important, but we feel kids benefit from a wide ranges of activities at this age. At Little Neighbors Preschool we are pleased to offer several extra curricular activities to your family.

Although many of these activities are free of charge to your family, some will require extra payment. In the event that the activity is extra, these will be offered as an option to your family and not mandatory.

Examples of Free Activities:
-Plays
-Petting Zoo
-Science Activities
-Local Law Enforcement Meet and Greets

Examples of Paid Activities:
-Dance Classes
-Tumbling Classes
-Learn to Ride Bike Programs