A preschool with deep roots

The Emmanuel Lutheran Preschool opened in 1972 with a loan for $1,000 and a classroom with concrete floors.

Founder Dorothy Schnaible was ready to turn the building provided by her church into a place of learning by gathering advice from experts in childhood education and keeping the school affordable.

She was born in Leland, Idaho, and graduated in 1949 with a degree in music, German and history from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma. She later attended Union Theological Seminary before embarking on a 21-year mission in India.

Schnaible returned to Idaho in 1972 when offered the director position at the new preschool in Moscow. The church was able to provide the building but no funds that first year.

It started with three options for enrollment: two days, three days or five days a week. The school had two teachers and 20 preschoolers, slowly acquiring furniture and new materials over the next few years.

Now, the preschool is celebrating its 50th anniversary in Moscow. The school has changed quite a bit in appearance since it opened in 1972, with updated furniture, new books and a playground, said Director Nikki Cox. But the mission of the institution has remained much the same.

“It was a blessing to spend my work career teaching young children. Everything is new and exciting to preschoolers; they are open to learning and very honest, and they love you just for being the teacher,” said Terri Schmidt, who taught for 30 years at Emmanuel Lutheran.

Schmidt worked with Schnaible, and said the school’s founder was inspired to get involved with the preschool by her mission in India. Schnaible remained involved in the preschool until 1987.

Schmidt wore many hats during her time at Emmanuel Lutheran Preschool, including working as both a teacher and director during her tenure. After starting her family and sending her own children to the school, she kept her teaching certificate and found a new love of education through her time with the school.

She started teaching in 1990 and did two half-days a week, the half-day schedule allowed her to also be able to be home with her own children in the afternoons. She would move on to teaching for all five days the next year. Schmidt was also director for 25 years before Cox transitioned into the position and Schmidt went back to teaching. She retired in 2020.

Jessie Thill attended the preschool when she was a child and would go back to Emmanuel Lutheran Preschool as a teaching assistant before also sending her children to the school. She’s been a board member since 2017 and now helps with social media.

“I knew it was a good school and it’s affordable,” Thill said.

Students at Emmanuel Lutheran Preschool participate in play-based learning, which gives them a hands-on experience for learning topics like colors, shapes and more. Thill said the children also learn social skills, which help them adjust to kindergarten.

“They’re always adjusting for the time,” Thill said. “They’re not afraid to change.”

Thill said while she was a teaching assistant, school staff was always open to new ideas on how to teach children and best practices when working with the students.

While there is no plan at the moment for an official celebration, Cox said they were collecting memories from alumni and past teachers to share on the preschool’s Facebook page. Cox said they wanted to remember their founder and the work members have put into the school over the past half-century.

Parents interested in sending their children to the school can register online at elutheran.church/preschool. There are options for two-day, three-day and five-day weeks for students. The first semester started Sept. 7 and ends Jan. 20. The second semester starts Jan. 23.

Nelson can be reached at knelson@dnews.com.