Our Mission
The mission of Chapel of the Cross Preschool is to provide a safe, nurturing, and faith-centered early childhood program that supports the social, emotional, academic, and spiritual development of each child while partnering with families during these formative years.
Our Curriculum
Our toddler and young two-year-old classrooms encourage early fine motor development through hands-on play, sensory exploration, and pre-writing experiences that prepare children for future handwriting instruction. Classrooms are organized into engaging learning centers, including a library corner, home-living center, manipulatives, art, and block areas, all designed to support development through purposeful play.
Our three- and four-year-old curriculum incorporates both Handwriting Without Tears and Heggerty Phonemic Awareness. Handwriting Without Tears supports fine motor development and handwriting readiness by introducing proper pencil grip and letter formation through a multisensory, play-based approach that builds confidence and muscle memory.
Heggerty Phonemic Awareness strengthens early literacy skills through brief, engaging daily activities that develop listening skills, sound awareness, rhyming, blending, and segmenting—critical foundations for future reading success.
All children enjoy daily outdoor play and free-choice center time, allowing them to explore interests, build social skills, and learn through play.
Co-Curriculars
Catechesis: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is the Episcopal curriculum used for our K3 and K4 children’s spiritual development. Our trained staff catechist invites children to explore and deepen their relationship with the Good Shepherd. The program is provided in the church atrium classroom and includes Christian themes, values, prayers, and music.
Choir: A native of Canton, Edward Dacus holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, a master’s degree from the University of Mississippi, and a doctorate from Louisiana State University. Dr. Dacus—affectionately known to the children as “Mr. Ed”—teaches music to our K3 and K4 students. He introduces young learners to basic music concepts such as notes and rhythm and prepares them for the Christmas Pageant as well as weekly chapel songs.
Chapel: Once a month, our K3 and K4 students join the Chapel of the Cross staff for a prayer service. Parents are welcome to attend this 30-minute service, which includes prayer, scripture, and worship. Worship songs introduced during chapel are reinforced in music class, helping children grow in familiarity and confidence.
Fees and Tuition
| Fee | Amount | Month Drafted |
| Summer Supply Fee | $50 | May |
| Reenrollment Fee | $50 | July |
| School-Year Supply Fee | $100 | Split between August & February |
Days and Hours of Operation
The Preschool is open Monday through Thursday.
Regular hours are 8:15am to 12:00pm.
Lunch Bunch is 12:00 to 2:00pm.
We follow the Madison County Schools for Holidays, breaks, and weather events. We are open in the summer but close the week of Memorial Day, VBS, July 4th, and the week before fall session starts.
Enrollment
We typically begin tours for the upcoming school year in March after receiving fall commitment surveys from our current families. Please call in March to schedule a tour or to check your waitlist status. To join our waitlist at any time during the school year, complete an enrollment form and email it to pdo.cotc@gmail.com.
Children can be registered at any time during the year and are accepted when there is an opening. Enrollment follows Chapel-approved priorities: 1) Church Members 2) Children of currently enrolled families 3) General public.
Once enrolled in the program, requirements include:
1. Completed Paperwork
2. Paid Registration Fee of $100 by check made out to Chapel of the Cross
3. Current Immunization Form (121)
4. A voided check for your automatic draft
If you’re interested in joining our waitlist or registering for the upcoming school year please fill out the form linked below and email it to pdo.cotc@gmail.com.
Staff Members
Preschool staff members are carefully selected through a comprehensive process that includes interviews, evaluation of educational background, relevant experience, and character references. All staff are required to successfully complete fingerprinting background checks and Child Abuse Registry clearances. Many team members hold associate or bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education or child development. Staff participate in a minimum of 15 hours of annual professional development, which includes active shooter preparedness, extensive curriculum enrichment, and ongoing training in best practices. In addition, all staff maintain current First Aid and CPR certification and complete the Safeguarding God’s Children curriculum through the Episcopal Church.
Director
Haylee Nix graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science in Human Sciences, concentrating in Human Development and Family Studies. She has lived in Madison for 13 years and has served the Chapel of the Cross community for over eight years. Haylee began her journey with COTC Preschool as a K3–K4 teacher and later became Director after earning her nationally recognized Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.
Haylee has now served as Director for several years, where she provides dedicated leadership focused on nurturing a safe, loving, and rich environment for every child. She is passionate about early childhood education and works closely with teachers and families to support each child’s social, emotional, academic, and spiritual growth. Her hands-on experience in the classroom, combined with her administrative leadership, allows her to lead with both expertise and heart.
She met her husband, Andrew Nix who was born and raised in Madison while attending MSU, and they will celebrate 14 years of marriage this coming November. Together, they have two beautiful daughters, Emma Ryan and Mary Reece, and have been active members of Chapel of the Cross for several years.
Mrs. Haylee Nix, Director
(601) 842-8001
pdo.cotc@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/ChapelOfTheCrossMothersMorningOut/