In response to the growing demand for high quality instruction for younger children, The Dunham School is pleased to announce the August 2021 opening of the Dunham Early Childhood Center, a new preschool program for two-year-old students. 

The Reggio Emilia-inspired program is a natural expansion of the school’s already robust pre-kindergarten curriculum and will include developmentally appropriate learning activities designed to build early literacy, phonics, math, science, technology, and gross motor skills as well as foundational instruction in Bible, music, world languages, and art.

“We are excited to expand our offerings to include a two-year-old program,” says Head of School Steve Eagleton. “One of our long held desires has been to serve younger students, and the opening of the Dunham Early Childhood Center has been three years in the making. We feel we are uniquely equipped to provide a high quality Christian education for two-year-olds that parents cannot find anywhere else in the Baton Rouge marketplace.”

The Dunham Early Childhood Center will be located on Dunham’s main campus. Each classroom will be staffed by a lead and assistant teacher. To accommodate working parents, early and late care, snacks, and lunch will be provided at no additional charge. 

This morning the school also announced the appointment of Morgan Barkas as the director of the Dunham Early Childhood Center. Mrs. Barkas graduated from The Dunham School in 2009 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Louisiana State University and a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education from Northwestern State University. In 2013, she joined the faculty at Dunham, where she has taught pre-kindergarten for the past eight years.

With a heart for children and a love for The Dunham School, Mrs. Barkas feels her experience as a teacher, alumna, and mother of two young children has equipped her well to lead this new program. “As Director of the Dunham Early Childhood Center, my goal is to create and ensure a nurturing, high-quality learning environment for every child enrolled,” says Mrs. Barkas. “I’m excited to carry on the school’s legacy of excellence with the youngest Dunham Tigers next fall.”

Families interested in registering for the fall of 2021 may visit the Dunham Early Childhood Center web page or call 225-767-7097 ext. 324 for more information.