If you think putting your shoes on each morning is a chore, be happy you’re not a centipede.

About eight students enrolled at the St. Luke’s Preschool have been learning a lot about bugs lately, whether it was at Tuesday’s reading class with librarian Anne Scott at the Calistoga Library or with Insect Discovery program expert Trent Davis at the Sharpsteen Museum.

One thing the shrinking class of pre-kindergardeners is not learning, is how to increase enrollment at their alma mater once they graduate — wisely, they’re leaving that up to the big people.

The trouble is, as of Aug. 18 the four-year-old preschool will be left with just a handful of children — about eight — straining the school’s budget and threatening jobs.

“This is a serious concern to the preschool being able continue to serve Calistoga families with young children,” said Director Christina Small, who co-directs the preschool with her husband Jim. “It’s really a problem that all preschools face this time of year — and for us, when enrollment is down, so is our scholarship program for families with lower incomes.”

Still, the school’s administrators say the public needs to know that this is the season to shop for a preschool for their young children. Parents also need to know that preschool is not inexpensive, but help is available.

In just two years, the preschool has increased its scholarships from 2 percent of its students to more than 50 percent. Because of declining enrollment in the nondenominational preschool, St. Luke’s has had to freeze its scholarship program — in the face of a growing need for scholarships, as well as a growing waiting list for the aid.

With an infusion of cash raised at the “Big Hearts, Small Hands” annual fundraiser event at Graeser Winery recently, the school’s board of directors are meeting this week to discuss ways to increase enrollment and the number of scholarships available to parents.

“Preschool can be very costly,” said Jim Small. “For example, the cost of attending two days each week is $328 a month. Similarly, three days a week per month is $492.”

That can be scary for low and moderate income parents, Small said.

“We will be looking at something like a 50 percent matching scholarship plan, where the parent will only pay $164,” Small said. “An additional $100 (Calistoga Rotary) scholarship is available through the Calistoga Family Center, and the Napa County First Five program (also available at the Family Center) will also help pay, leaving the parent to pay the remaining $64 — which is a lot easier to afford.”

St. Luke’s Preschool, at the corner of Myrtle and Berry streets, is holding its open house, to let the public learn more about the school, on Saturday from 10 a.m. until noon.

“We’d like to see parents consider enrolling their children here,” Small said. “But we’d also like the public to drop by and see the work we do here, and consider sponsoring a needy child at some level for two, three or more days per week.”

The preschool is one of three in Calistoga. The other two are:

• Highlands Christian Fellowship preschool. It recently celebrated 20 years of preschool in Calistoga. Highlands is now accepting applications for fall enrollment in two, three and five day programs. For additional information call 942-5557.

• Calistoga State Preschool program provides a preschool experience for income eligible families with children from 3 years to those entering kindergarten. Eligibility is determined by the California Department of Education, Child Development Division. Each program operates three hours per day for a total of 175 days a year. A snack is provided to each child. Monthly parent participation is an important part of the program. For more information call 942-1427.

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