Saint Ann (Al-Qiddissah Hannah) Kindergarten is a Licensed Preschool for Christian and Muslim boys and girls from 1 month to 5 years. Enrollment is not based on gender or religion. The Jenin Governorate's Department of Education gave a License for Saint Ann Kindergarten on Tuesday, August 16, 2011.

Enrollment

During the 2011-2012 school year, Saint Ann (Al-Qiddissah Hannah) Kindergarten has a stable enrollment of five (5) part-time children. All these children were enrolled in the 2010-2012 school year. These children range in age from two (2) years old to four (4) years old. These children include four girls and one boy. Three of these children are Christian and two of these children are Muslim. The two Muslim children are siblings and their mother works for the St. George Church Sewing Project. Currently, Saint Ann Kindergarten has one (1) female teacher. (The other female teacher was let go in November, 2011 due to the reduced enrollment.) This teacher is a college graduate. She cares for and teach the children.

After the first several weeks of the 2010-2011 school year, Saint Ann (Al-Qiddissah Hannah) Kindergarten had a stable of fourteen (14) children. In June 2011, these children ranged in age from ten (10) months to four (4) years old. These children included eight (8) girls and six (6) boys. Ten (10) of these children were Christian and two (2) of these children were Muslim. Additionally, Saint Ann Kindergarten had two (2) female teachers. These teachers are college graduates. They cared for and taught the children.

On Tuesday, August 24, 2010, Saint Ann (Al-Qiddissah Hannah) Kindergarten was blessed and unofficially opened. The enrollment was six children, ranging in age from several months to four years old. Later, on Monday, September 6. 2010, St. Ann Kindergarten officially opened with an enrollment of fifty (50) children.

Unfortunately, the children's parents thought that since the Kindergarten was associated with a Catholic Church that the the Kindergarten would be free. After two weeks, Abouna Firas convinced the parents that the Kindergarten charged a fee. Then, only fifteen children remained enrolled. That number of children is acceptable. An enrollment of fifteen children pays the salary of the two teachers and Abouna Firas thinks that he can pay for the other expenses from the income from the employment projects and donations. Soon, the number of enrolled children dropped to fourteen (14) children.

During Autumn and Winter, the monthly enrollment of St. Ann Kindergarten increased from the fourteen (14) children and then decreased to the fourteen (14) children. The reason was that some parents used St. Ann Kindergarten as a part-time baby sitter when they went to the nearest large city, Jenin, for medical appointments, government appointments, shopping, etc. Then, some children were enrolled in St. Ann Kindergarten and only stay one-half a day / one day and did not return to the Kindergarten until the parents again travel to Jenin.

Building and Playground

Saint Ann Kindergarten includes a building with one large playroom, two small rooms (one for sleeping), a kitchen area, three bathrooms, and a storage area. The Kitchen Area has a sink, a refrigerator, a microwave, an electric oven, and an electric water heater. The bathrooms have a sink, a toilet, and a shower. Both the Kitchen Area and the unisex bathroom have inside and outside access. Both the Kitchen Area and the unisex bathroom were added in Spring 2011. Additionally, St. Ann Kindergarten includes a fenced-in preschool Play Area.

The School is connected to the Convent (Abouna's home), which is connected to the Church. Then, the Church, Convent, and School are really one connected building. The outside entrances are to the Church and the School. The Convent is between the Church and the School and does not have an outside entrance. To enter the Convent, a person walks thru the Church or thru the School.

How to Increase the Enrollment of St. Ann Kindergarten and How to Stabilize this Enrollment

Families with school age children know Abouna Firas Khoury Diab and know about St. Ann Kindergarten. Within his family, Abouna Firas is the parent that takes the children to school. That is every school morning, he takes his three youngest sons to the Catholic Patriarchate School and his oldest son to the Government School for boys. Later, in the afternoon, he pickups his children from their schools. During those trips, it is not uncommon for family members of other school aged children to approach him to discuss issues with him.

Families that use Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) Community Park know Abouna and know about St. Ann Kindergarten. They use the facilities of St. Ann Kindergarten.

Currently, Abouna Firas thinks that the best method to increase the enrollment of St. Ann Kindergarten is to increase attendance at Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) Community Park. That is to convince the children’s families that the Park is the logical one stop location for parents to pickup all their children. What this means is that after school (St. Ann Kindergarten, the Latin Patriarchate School, and the two gender government schools), the children go to the Park. Later, the children’s families come to the park, enjoy activities with their children in the park, and take them home from school via the park.

Patron Saint

On Tuesday, August 24, 2010, Saint George Melkite Greek Catholic Church blessed and opened Saint Ann (Al-Qiddissah Hannah) Kindergarten. The patron of this School is Saint Ann (Al-Qiddissah Hannah). The Ancester of Christ, Ann is the mother of The Theotokos, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and is the grandmother according to the flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Saint Ann lived locally, in Nazareth and in Jerusalem.

Value

These children are enrolled in Saint Ann Kindergarten because their mothers must be employed outside their homes in order to be able to feed and clothe their children. Most of these mothers work as teachers and support staff in schools and as support staff in hospitals. These mothers are grateful that their children are in a safe, quality environment when their families are unable to care for these children. Additionally, these children and their families are within a Christian environment and are learning respect and live with people of another religion.

What the Words "Kindergarten" and "Preschool" Mean

Saint Ann (Al-Qiddissah Hannah) Kindergarten is a Preschool for children from 1 month to 5 years. In Arabic, the word "Kindergarten" includes schools for children from 1 month to 5 years (before the First Grade). There is no Arabic word for "Preschool", "Child Development Center", "Day Care", "Nursery School", etc.

The Children's Schedule

Monthly Tuition Fee

Saint Ann Kindergarten is the cheapest kindergarten in Zababdeh. The monthly Tuition fee of Saint Ann Kindergarten is about one-half of the fee of the next cheapest kindergarten. The Saint Ann Kindergarten fee is 100 NIS per month, which is appromately $25US. The $25US only pays the children's food expense. This low fee means that many children can afford to attend. Abouna Firas hopes that the donations for the products produced by St. George Church will pay for the other costs of the school: teacher's salaries, utilities, repair and maintenance, supplies, etc.

For the school to be self-supporting, tuition from about fifty (50) children is needed. Tuition from about ten (10) children pays for the children's food. Tuition from about twenty (20) children pays for the electricity, water, and heat.

A $0 tuition fee at St. Ann Kindergarten is not an option. Expenses include the salaries of one to two teachers, food and drink for breakfast and lunch, utilities, repairs, maintenance, supplies, etc.

Number of Kindergartens in Zababdeh

In July 2006, when the St. Ann Kindergarten building was began, there was a shortage of Kindergartens within Zababdeh. Other people also noticed the shortage of Kindergartens. Then, in the past several years, several kindergartens opened within Zababdeh.
Currently, is there a shortage of kindergartens? The answer depends on the tuition fee. If tuition is not charged, there is a shortage of Kindergartens. If tuition is charged, there maybe a shortage of Kindergartens. If more women obtain jobs, there will be a shortage of Kindergartens because these women will be able to pay a tuition fee.

More Information

Get your hands dirty in Zababdeh on Without a Map, Experience Life in the West Bank, "http://www.withoutamap.org/?p=88" discusses Saint Ann Kindergarten.

Future Plans include a Full School and a Senior Citizen Center

The first plan is that eventually Saint Ann Kindergarten will expand into an elementary school and then to a high school. Saint Ann Kindergarten complements the Latin Patrichate School. Saint Ann Kindergarten is not in competition with the Latin Patrichate School.