A place to call home: Christ the King Lutheran Church and School opens its new preschool childcare center

Christ the King School recently celebrated and opened its new preschool childcare center.

By Jeff Dawsey
| 5:00 a.m. August 15, 2016

Bella Blevins and Isabella Dopp play in Preschool Director Francesca Dopp's third-grade classroom. Photos by Jeff Dawsey

The new preschool childcare center is located next to Christ the King Church at 5625 U.S. 1.

Siblings Chad and Colby hang out on Lillie Pad Lane.

Ethan Dopp reads "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" in his mother Briana Dopp's reading tent.

Sisters Everly and Addi Moser go for afternoon cruises in the outside play area.

This is one of the infants rooms.

Wendy Wright allows kids Jayden Wright (no relations), Lexi and Landon Wright, and Cael and Adam Loberger to try out her VPK classroom. Photos by Jeff Dawsey

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

It only took nine months to complete Christ the King School’s new preschool center and just two days for the teachers to fill the rooms with colorful décor that will make the kids feel right at home.

Students, parents, CTK church members and members of the community toured the new 14,000-square-foot building at its grand opening on Sunday, Aug. 14.

“We wanted to create a quality program that gives glory to God, that parents would be proud of, and where kids could learn and be safe,” Principal Jeff Loberger said.

The center includes nine classrooms, a huge indoor play space and administration rooms.

Francesca Dopp, the new preschool director and a third-grade teacher, has taught at the school since its beginning. Speaking about the school’s growth and new facility, she said, “God is definitely showering us with His blessings.”

So impressed with the new childcare center, some parents were seeking to sign up their unborn.

“A couple approached me and said, ‘We’re trying to get pregnant, so can we put our child on the waiting list for the year 2018?’” he laughed. “I told them we didn’t have a waiting list that long.”

CTK begins its school year Wednesday and is projected to start with 330 students, 180 of them being preschoolers. Its staff has grown from 24 employees last year to now 40.

“I can’t say enough about our staff,” Loberger said. “In 48 hours, they’ve made this building look like this, which says a ton about them. Teaching is more than a paycheck for them; it’s about a calling.”

CTK is located at 5625 U.S. 1. Call 447-7979.

Looking ahead: Christ the King School is hoping to build a 65,000-square-foot facility for its elementary division by 2020. Until then, kindergarten through eighth grade will continue to meet in portable rooms.

Say what? “A couple approached me and asked, ‘We’re trying to get pregnant, so can we put our younger one on the waiting list for the year 2018?’ I told them we didn’t have a waiting list that long.”

JEFF LOBERGER, principal at Christ the King School