Holy Rosary School vice principal Ted Mohrbacher is excited about the preschool that HR is opening this fall, and not just because it’s a project on which he’s worked intensively for a year.

The biggest thrill comes from the fact his son will get to be a pre-K student there. “He’s very excited; he asks every day, when does he get to go to school?”

We talked with Mohrbacher (photo right) and principal Dr. Randal Peters (photo left) after hearing they’re trying to get the word out that Holy Rosary is adding preschool as of this fall, while they realize the news comes “a bit late in the game,” after many if not most families have made 2010-2011 school decisions already.

Read on for more about what they’re offering and why:

Peters explains that the growing amount of research showing the value of early learning is part of their inspiration: “It’s really important for kids to get some foundations in learning, as early as 3 years old.”

They’ve been asked for a long time to add preschool, but it wasn’t possible until the new Parish Center opened south of the school. It has a grassy area outside that will be turned into a play zone:

Two rooms inside the Parish Center will be used for classrooms – one doubles as the church nursery right now, and will see the more playful uses:

And the other is a meeting room, and is likely to be the focus of academics:

They’re starting off with one class per age group – about 15 students per class – one for 3’s, one for 4’s, each a half-day. The 3’s will go to school Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8:45 am-11:15 am. The 4’s (also known as pre-kindergarten) will attend Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, 12:30 pm-3:30 pm.

Right now, though, as enrollment continues, they’re searching for a preschool director, who will also serve as head teacher. The program hasn’t been fully mapped out yet, as they hope the director will be on board in time to shape it.

And while they hope the preschool will give kids an early start in Holy Rosary’s principles, it won’t just be a junior version of the existing school: No uniforms for the preschoolers, for example. And while they will visit the rest of the school occasionally – maybe an assembly, or a service – the principal and vice principal explained that the preschool will have a separate entrance, on the south side of the Parish Center, and will be mostly self-contained: “So (at the main school) the kindergarteners can be the stars!”

If you’re interested in applying for the new Holy Rosary Preschool, you’re advised to do it as soon as possible – they’re closing the rest of their enrollment period shortly, though they realize this part might have to be extended. You can pick up an application in the office (keep in mind, next week is HR spring break) or e-mail Mohrbacher and he’ll send you one – he’s reachable through this online form.