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Early Childhood Education

At Mehlville Early Childhood Education programs, our talented educators believe in learning through play! Our fun-filled preschool program in South St. Louis County provides kids with a rich environment to learn and grow.

While it looks like child’s play, our educators are providing our young friends an integrated curriculum in five core content areas: Personal and Social Development, Language and Literacy, Mathematical Thinking, Scientific Thinking and Physical Development. This curriculum is aligned to the Missouri Early Learning Standards and is approved by the district's Board of Education. You can view the complete curriculum here. The curriculum is implemented using a constructivist approach, which means that children actively construct their own knowledge and values as a result of interactions with the physical and social worlds. Mehlville's Early Childhood Education program is inclusive. Our classrooms welcome children with and without disabilities. Small classes enhance the learning and skill development of children with disabilities and provide invaluable lessons for all children.

Teacher working with girl at a table

Mehlville Early Childhood Education serves children ages 3-5. Our main location is the John Cary Early Childhood Center located at 3155 Koch Road, St. Louis, MO 63125.

We also provide early childhood education at several Mehlville School District elementary schools:

  • Beasley Elementary School, 3131 Koch Road
  • Bierbaum Elementary School, 2050 Union Road
  • Blades Elementary School, 5140 Patterson Road
  • Forder Elementary School, 623 W. Ripa Ave.
  • Hagemann Elementary School, 6401 Hagemann Road
  • Point Elementary School, 6790 Telegraph Road
  • Trautwein Elementary School, 5011 Ambs Road

Mehlville Early Childhood Education offers half-day programs that meet for three hours Monday through Thursday. If your child is 3 years old before August 1, they attend the morning session. If your child is 4 years old before August 1 and this is their year before kindergarten, they attend the afternoon session. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, Mehlville Early Childhood will offer a full-day program on Mondays through Thursdays at Bierbaum Elementary School. Children do not need to be toilet trained to attend Mehlville Early Childhood Education.  

Phone: 314-467-5300
Fax: 314-467-5399

Director: Erin Amador – amadore@msdr9.org
Parents as Teachers and Early Childhood Coordinator: Ashleigh Hussey – husseya@msdr9.org

Mission

Working in partnership with families and community to provide an educational foundation for children.

Our Vision

Where lifelong learning begins.

Guiding Principles

We will respect each child as an individual
We will provide a positive, nurturing environment that instills a love of learning
We will facilitate children's learning by allowing them to construct knowledge through play and hands on experiences
We will teach a developmentally appropriate curriculum that is evidence based
We will implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports across all settings
We will include and support both parents and the community in the learning process

State Report Card for Mehlville Early Childhood

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education publishes an annual report card for public schools. You can view the state’s report card for Mehlville Early Childhood on their website. Follow this link and use the drop down menu to select the school year, the district (Mehlville R-IX (096094)) and the school name (John Cary Early Childhood Center), and then select “View Report.”

Mehlville Early Childhood report to the Board of Education

Mehlville Early Childhood Board of Education video January 15, 2026