About Our School

Brilliant Beginnings Preschool on the Plateau in Issaquah, Washington provides a rich environment where children gain confidence and self esteem, cultivate a love of learning, and develop Christian values. Our program is based on purposeful play, and promotes learning in all developmental areas that are specific to a child’s emergent ideas and interests. Small class sizes and low teacher-to-student ratios give each child the opportunity to learn at their own pace and in their own style.

We believe a child’s knowledge of self and the world grows from pleasant and meaningful learning experiences as well as cohesive communities. Therefore, we encourage parent involvement in education. Brilliant Beginnings Preschool on the Plateau provides programs, curriculum and people that support children to succeed to their full potential, academically and in all aspects of life.

We focus on developmentally appropriate education, which is suitable for typical developmental needs, but flexible to meet the individual needs of students in the classroom.

Our curriculum integrates music, art, faith, movement, math, science, botany, foreign language, dance, cooking, early literacy, and social studies to provide enrichment to children cognitively, socially, physically, and emotionally so that they may develop school-readiness.

Children develop large motor skills playing in our large outdoor play area. Preschoolers enjoy a unique close-to-nature learning environment as the school property is surrounded by stunning old growth forest.

The backyard of our campus in Issaquah is a lush forest of Douglas Firs and Western Hemlocks known as Duthie Hill Park. This stunning park of rolling woodland is 120 acres of dense evergreens and is connected to more than 2,000 acres of public open space that includes Grand Ridge Park, Mitchell Hill Forest, and Preston Ridge Park.

Mission

We are committed to provide a nurturing, supportive, and inspiring environment where the children can develop cognitively, socially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It is our goal to provide children with enriching opportunities that will result in a love for learning and form a foundation for early success and school readiness.

Philosophy And Vision

• We believe learning is a lifelong, challenging, and enjoyable experience.
• We have high expectations for all children.  Every child is unique and at individual learning levels. Therefore, we tailor our approach to each individual child’s social, emotional, and intellectual needs.
• We provide students with a variety of educational opportunities for an early start for school success.
• We strive to develop literacy skills as well as provide experiences that enrich each child's cognitive, intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and creative abilities.
• We believe that play gives children opportunities to understand their environment, interact with others in social ways, express and control emotions, and develop their imagination and creativity.
• Active and sensory experiences in which learning through discovery are emphasized.
• Children will participate in a learning environment in which children can solve problems and express their feelings through words, art and other creative areas. 
• We believe that the family provides the child’s most important learning environment. Therefore, parent involvement is encouraged and welcomed.
• Children learn by touching, seeing, hearing, modeling, and through play;
• Children learn faster in a stimulating environment;
• Reading to young children is important for the creation of pre-reading skills;
• Developing math skills is an important part of an early childhood program;
• Books must be available for children to explore freely in the class room;
• Preschool should be the foundation for all future learning environments;
• Faith and spirituality must be taught with other subjects at a young age, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
• Fostering an awareness of God's love for each child completes the child emotionally

Eco-Friendly Green Program

We offer a special eco-curriculum.  Our preschool provides a unique educational experience to children as we bring nature into the indoors with our curriculum.  We use organic products, when available.

Our classrooms are environmentally friendly. We recycle, and we use non-toxic techniques both inside and outside the school. Whenever possible, we use biodegradable products. Most of our furniture and toys are made from solid wood. We avoid plastic whenever possible.

Teaching children to turn off the lights, use the back sides of papers, and recycle are small ways our little ones can make a difference on their small footprint of this big planet.  Making play dough from scratch and utilizing filtered water and organic food from our garden for snacks helps them learn the importance of protecting our planet.

Students are exposed to exciting education that encourages good stewardship of the earth and instills a sense of responsibility for their impact on our planet. Issues we explore include climate change, endangered species, alternative energy, pollution, composting, and we practice a reduce-reuse-recycle philosophy.

Charitable Endeavors

We believe that preschoolers are not too young to learn about social justice issues such as peace, tolerance and diversity.  Children learn to respect themselves and others while they become socially aware. 

In-kind donations and a portion of the proceeds from our school go to charitable organizations throughout the year such as Clay for Earth, Camp Korey, and Habitat for Humanity.  Our school also collects food for a food drive and books for children in need.

Participating in charitable events is extremely satisfying and develops a sense of community in the children. We easily incorporate philanthropy into the flow of the school routine. Helping those in need becomes part of the curriculum during special times of the year.

One goal at Brilliant Beginnings Preschool on the Plateau is to develop the whole child. We teach Christian values, ethics and morals in our curriculum, so participating in charitable endeavors is one way children can apply the skills they have learned to the larger community. When preschool children help others in need it builds self-confidence and empathy. This helps move them closer to developing self-actualization, which involves self-awareness, self-acceptance, and unconditional positive regard at an early age.

Application and Enrollment

Tours of our school campus in Issaquah are available by appointment. Application materials will be provided at the tour. If you have specific questions prior to your tour, please contact us or call us at 425-392-4101. In order to optimize a child’s experience, we have adopted the following enrollment criteria:

• Priorities are given to the siblings of currently enrolled students, then to the siblings of alumni.
• Other children who are on the wait list will be admitted on a first-come, first-serve basis, based on the number of openings designated for morning and afternoon students, as well as boys and girls for each classroom.
• Application form and fee schedules are also available at the preschool.