by Tammy Taylor
Staff Writer
Located in the old Bright Horizon’s Family Center at 330 Market St., The Cathedral School and Early Learning Center plans to open its doors to preschoolers this fall.
Adding to the network of Episcopal schools throughout Duval County, The Cathedral School will be the first located downtown.
“This is a natural extension of the work of the church,” said Gretchen Vodrey Titshaw, interim start-up director for The Cathedral School. “The other aspect is that this area is developing as the Cathedral District. To make a community complete, a preschool moving into an elementary school is next.”
To preschool will be able to accommodate up to 140 children ages 2 to 4 once its doors open. School administrators are hoping the four-year-old class will turn into its first kindergartners.
“This won’t be your run-of-the-mill place,” said executive administrator Marlo Hunt.
The Cathedral School is currently accepting applications for “highly skilled educators” to teach on a multi-modality system.
“Learning will be very interactive,” said Hunt. “You won’t learn that ‘S’ is for snowflake and then draw a snowflake. This will be a lot more in-depth, with hands-on learning. It will be quality education for preschool aged children.”
According to Titshaw, “this school will be exemplary academic prep based on research, early learning and brain development. We will educate the whole child.”
Field trips to the Cummer Museum of Arts & Gardens, the Museum of Science and History, the Children’s Museum and the Hands-On Museum will be included for children enrolled at The Cathedral School.
“We’re located in the heart of downtown. We’re no more than 10 miles away from any of these attractions,” said Hunt.
Open houses for The Cathedral School and Early Learning Center begin this spring. There are no requirements for attendance other than age and the ability to pay the $140 to $165 a week tuition.
For information, call Marlo Hunt at 614-0485 or 724-2380.