At FBC’s & 123’s Christian School, it is our privilege to partner with parents in laying the foundation for faith development. It is our goal to help children develop a positive, loving, and caring image of God by modeling those qualities. The early childhood years are crucial for the sound spiritual, emotional, social, intellectual, and physical development of every child. Our goal at FBC’s & 123’s is to address these needs and provide all of our students with a top quality, Christ-centered education filled with love, affirmation, learning, and fun.

FBC’s & 123’s CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2023-2024  CLASSES 

Three and Four Year Old Class – There is a Monday/Wednesday Class and a Tuesday/Thursday Class for this age group. Both classes are from 8:30 – 11:15.  Tuition is $70/mo. from September—May. There is also a $30/year supply fee, due in September.

Four and Five Year Old Class—meets Monday—Thursday from 8:15—11:15. Tuition is $135/mo. from September—May. There is also a $30/year supply fee, due in September.
 
Kindergarten Class—meets Monday—Thursday from 8:00—12:00. Tuition is $225/mo. from September—May. There is also a $30/year supply fee, due in September. Click on the Kindergarten button for more information.
 
*NEW CLASS – Hybrid 1st & 2nd Grade Class—This new class offers a classroom experience combined with homeschool. The class will meet Monday—Thursday from 8:00—12:00. The teacher will work with parents to provide at-home learning activities, guidance and support for the homeschool component of the class. Tuition is $225/mo. from September—May. There is also a $30/year supply fee, due in September. Call for more information.
 
Early Drop-Off/Late Pick-up Options
We offer early drop-off, as early as 7:45 AM and late pick-up, as late as 12:15 PM. This needs to be arranged in advance, by calling the church office.
ENROLLMENT FORMS & PROCEDURE
 
Enrollment is open now! Click on the Enrollment button below to fill out the digital enrollment form. Then mail the $60 enrollment fee to:
 
First Baptist Church
PO Box 426
1301 East 6th Street
Lamar, MO  64759
 
 

ABOUT US 

OUR PROGRAM INCLUDES:
  • Exposure to Christian values, scripture and stories of God’s people, along with daily emphasis
         on Christian character.
  • Themed units with play-based, age-appropriate, hands-on activities
  • Experiences in cognitive development, art, music, movement, literacy, science and math.
  • Social interaction with adults and other young children in a caring and nurturing environment.
  • Student assessment and yearly developmental screenings.
2023-2024 SCHOOL CALENDAR
 
August 23 ● Open House 
August 28 ● First Day of  School
September 4 ● Labor Day – No School
November 22 & 23 ● Thanksgiving Break
December 20 – January 2 ● Christmas Break
January 3 ● 1st Day of 2nd Semester
January 15 ● MLK Day – No School (possible make-up day)
February 19 ● Presidents Day – No School
March 11-14 ● Spring Break
April 1 ● Easter Monday – No School
May 16 ● Last Day of School & End of Year Program
**Snow days will be the same as Lamar R1

MEET OUR STAFF 

Director & 3’s&4’s Teacher:  Valerie Waggoner
Ms. Val has been developing educational programs for children for over 30 years.  She began her career when she founded, operated, and taught at Ready, Set, Grow Preschool in Joplin.  When she and her husband Bernie moved back to Lamar, she started a preschool for 3-year-olds in her home, which continued until she became the Director of Christian Education at LUMC.  She served there for 20 years, where she was also the director for Love & Learn Christian Preschool until 2020 when she came to FBC to start FBC’s & 123’s.  She has a BS in Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood.  She feels honored and blessed to be a part of FBC’s & 123’s.
Lead 4’s&5’s Teacher:  Joyce Phipps
Ms. Joyce began her career teaching first grade in the Independence Public School District, when she married her husband Scott, she moved to Lamar and continued teaching first grade at East Primary.  After teaching in public schools for 25 years, she teamed up with Ms. Val in 2015 to teach at Love & Learn Christian Preschool.  She has a BS in Education, a Masters of Ed. in Multi-Disciplinary Education, and 30 additional hours in Elementary Education. Joyce is passionate about bringing out the best in her students, and loves teaching, challenging and nurturing children at FBC’s & 123’s.
Kindergarten Teacher:  Wendy McCulloch
Ms. Wendy began her career teaching K and Pre-K at Sheldon for one year. She spent the next six years in Nevada, teaching K, K-1 looping classroom and Title 1 Reading.  In 2008, she returned to her alma mater and taught Kindergarten for two years at Lamar East Primary, after which, she was blessed to be able to stay home with her 3 children while continuing to substitute in the district.  She has a BS in Education with emphasis in Early Childhood and Masters of Ed. in Reading, along with training in Reading Recovery.  Wendy has been part of our team since 2017. We are so thankful that she brings her passion for teaching and love for children to FBC’s & 123’s!
Hybrid 1st & 2nd Grades Teacher:  Lynzi Hawes

Ms. Lynzi is married to Rusty they have three kids, live in Lamar and attend the First Christian Church.  She has been a stay-at-home mom for 16 years. For seven years she homeschooled her two sons and after they transitioned to public school, she felt led to continue her own education. Lynzi is currently working towards her Bachelors in Elementary and Special Education. In her free time, she enjoys family outings, painting, listening to audiobooks, and finding projects to do around her house! Lynzi feels so blessed to be a part of this God centered, uniquely awesome homeschool hybrid community! Her commitment to excellence, excitement for unique learning opportunities, and love of children make her a perfect fit for her position at FBC’s & 123’s!

Multi-Classroom Teacher: Suzanne Cloyed
Ms. Suzanne taught preschool at Lamar Preschool for 13 years. Since her “retirement,” she has been teaching Sunday School, coordinating the Backpack Snack Program, and making a name for herself in the “MeMe” Business. She has a BS in Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood and a Masters of Ed. in Elementary Education.  She has been a consulting part of our preschool team since 2015 and teaching in the classroom for the past 4 years.  She loves her time with the children, and they love their time with her!
4’s & 5’s Teacher: JoJo Compton
Ms. JoJo taught for 7 years in public schools before having children and becoming a stay-at-home mom. She is very active in ministry at Oakton Church where she hosts several weekly Bible studies and is coordinator for Operation Christmas Child. She has a BS in Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood. JoJo joined our team in 2018. She is passionate about nurturing spiritual growth, whether in her classroom or the adult Bible studies she leads. We love and appreciate the joy and energy she brings to her classroom!
4’s&5’s Teacher: Caitlin Morgan-Pierce

Ms. Caitlin began her career at Golden City where she taught Kindergarten through 6th grade reading, language arts, and social studies for one year. For the past 5 years, she has also been a youth leader at Hannon Free Will Church. She studied early childhood education and special education at Pittsburg State University where she earned her Early Childhood Unified Degree, gaining many hours in the Little Gorillas Preschool on campus. Her calm, nurturing, and loving teaching style is a perfect fit for our preschool, and we are thrilled to have her on our team!

Teacher Assistant: Destiny Clark

Ms. Destiny joined our team as a teacher assistant in the 3’s&4’s class in 2021. She immediately fit in and is excellent at her job. She easily forms bonds with the children and quickly notices when and where she is needed by the children and other teachers. We are so blessed to have her on the FBC’s & 123’s team!