St. Thomas Aquinas' pre-school program

Father Mark Ingot, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in East Lansing, started a pre-school program. This year there are more than 50 children attending and five teachers who teach music, gym, art and Spanish.There is a prayer corner in the classroom and pre-school children attend the all-school Mass once a month.  Seventh- and eighth-grade students partner with the three year-olds and fifth-grade students partner with the five-year-olds.
Jennifer Rule, director of the program, has a master’s degree in child development – and three of her children attend the pre-school. Rule said she enjoys watching the children grow from the beginning of the school year to the end. She shared, “The faith piece is so important. They try to be their best self from a Christian view.”