Christ Lutheran School kicked off the 2016-17 school year with a Back-to-School Bash and a ribbon cutting for three new classrooms for its youngest students ever. The rooms will accommodate children from 6 weeks to 2 years old. Representatives said the Little Rock school is excited about the program, which offers care along with opportunities for play, learning and social interaction.

Schoolwide enrollment has grown 30 percent for the school year, largely because of the nearly 50 infants and toddlers in the new program, which includes a full-time schedule and part-time options to give families flexibility. Christ Lutheran is dedicated to giving all students — from earliest preschool to eighth grade — a setting where they can grow “in faith and academics.” The preschool also supplements the state’s early childhood development standards with religion, Handwriting Without Tears, math, science and language arts, along with daily specialty classes including STEM, music, art, yoga, cooking and library use.