Evergreen Independent School

Preschool - Grade 7 guests. We are also extremely proud of our beautiful garden 3515 Watson space where students gain Avenue Cobble Hill the skills needed to grow 250-743-2433 and harvest their very own evergreenbc.net vegetables.

Thirty-eight years ago, a group of parents in Cobble Hill were searching for an alternative learning environment for their children. Evergreen Independent School was established with an eye towards building community while providing a safe and supportive learning setting for students.

The parents and teachers of Evergreen Independent School are committed to a philosophy that develops the full potential of each child. Small class sizes, innovative teaching, and multi- grade classrooms enhance individual learning and create positive socialization across all grade levels. Evergreen has a structured learning environment where academic excellence is fostered. The school also boasts a robust food literacy program for students, as well as a fully gluten-free kitchen to accommodate special dietary needs for our students and Evergreen is home to the Cobble Hill Community Pavilion – a gorgeous timberframed, shared community space for the school, parents, and local residents. Students and staff enjoy the use of this covered space for sports, playtime and as an extension of the classroom for outdoor learning.

We are proud to offer programs for younger students: Evergreen Explorers program for 3-year-olds (offered twice a week) Junior Kindergarten for 4-year-olds (Monday through Thursday)

Come see why families choose Evergreen! For further information or to arrange a tour, please contact our administration at 250-743-2433 or evergreen@evergreenbc.net.

KinsolPlay is really excited to share the opening of its newest playground at Old Mill Park on Shawnigan Lake.

This parkland has served the local community as a recreational and social gathering place since 1970, taking its name from the once-proud Shawnigan Lake Lumber Company, an early driver of economic growth in the region.

As community members and long users of this park, the KinsolPlay team was thrilled to team up with the CVRD to create an engaging natural play space to compliment the popular swimming destination! As a local company, based in Bamberton, we design and build sustainable, nature-based playgrounds that encourage social interaction and unscripted play.

At Old Mill Park, we have installed two of our most popular playground elements: a small log climber and a toddler parkour. But don’t let the names fool you - there is nothing small about this

courtesy of Todd Blumel

climber, nor does the parkour stop at entertaining toddlers only! Our play equipment is always designed to suit people aged 18 months and UP! That includes the adult sized “kids” that might feel the urge to test their climbing and agility skills.

Two rapidly emerging trends in Canadian playground design are the complimentary themes of nature-based play and riskyplay. We believe that little hands respond to the natural feel of materials such as wood and stone in a way that deeply connects them with nature. Our play pieces are intended to help children explore their physical environments through balancing, jumping, climbing, swinging and sliding.

Learning to take incremental risks and experiencing the joy of overcoming obstacles is an essential part of early-childhood development. Life is loaded with risk for adults, so creating play environments that introduce children to risk in a way which allows them to build confidence and a healthy tolerance to risk is setting them up to become successful adults.

When we created our very first playground (Terra Nova Adventure Playground in Richmond, BC), the initial challenge was to create fullycompliant, safe spaces for children to play, where they could be the authors of their own self-directed adventures, while engaging in risky, naturebased play. And now creating playgrounds like this have become second nature to us, as our portfolio of playgrounds has grown to 29 and counting.

www.kinsolplay.com Follow us - @kinsolplay - on Facebook and Instagram 250.588.8770

Jaime Blacklock, Admin Support/ Social Media Coordinator

Shawnigan Lake Montessori has been in operation since 2007 and is situated within the large grounds of Shawnigan Lake School, just outside of Shawnigan Lake Village. We offer Preschool and Childcare for families in the Cowichan Valley. The Preschool’s two classrooms are located in a beautiful two storey house with large gardens which back onto a forest. This provides opportunities for nature play, gardening and forest walks.

We offer a full Montessori program for children from 2 ½ years to 6 years and include a kindergarten program. Our teachers have credentials which meet all provincial standards, as well as Montessori Certification, and are experienced and enthusiastic about providing an enriched early years Montessori curriculum. We offer three, four and five day options, with either a full day or half day program. Our focus at Shawnigan Lake Montessori is to provide a caring and respectful educational experience for every child.

Our program is committed to the Montessori curriculum and our classroom is a prepared environment equipped with certified Montessori materials with which the children may explore, be creative, build independence and gain a strong sense of self. Each child is seen as a unique individual who requires freedom to develop every aspect of his or her personality, naturally and without pressure. With respectful love and care, the child is guided towards independence and selfcontrol by means of activity in a peaceful, calm and orderly environment.

Children, parents, and teachers who are a part of the Shawnigan Lake Montessori community should feel confident that the preschool is as safe - emotionally and physically - as possible during the COVID-19 global pandemic. We will provide consistent interactions between teachers and children, limit people coming

into the preschool and ensure that we are following the relevant guidelines set out by Child-Care Professionals of BC and the BC Government regarding health and wellness, cleaning and sanitizing of the preschool. Our COVID-19 policies and procedures detail how we can all work together to keep everyone as safe as possible.

Enrollment and intake for Shawnigan Lake Montessori Preschool and Childcare is a step by step process which begins with a visit to look around the preschool and a meeting to explore the parent’s and the school’s needs and expectations in order to help ensure a good fit for your child.

If you are interested in setting up a school visit, please contact us. Email:shawniganlake montessori@shaw.ca or Phone: 250 743 6279 www. shawniganlakemontressori.com.

During the Covid lockdown I had friends with local restaurants and food trucks asking if I was making masks, I resisted at first since there was a flood of makers but then I remembered I had several kimonos in my storage that I had purchased at a vintage flea market in Tokyo. I used this beautiful ochre fabric with Sakura (cherry blossoms ) floating through an art nouveau swirl as my first series of masks. I notice not many masks had soft liners to protect your face so I used bamboo knit to be my liner/ filter pocket. I posted my first batch and they sold out within a couple days I was Morena Clothing - Mindfully shocked by the overwhelming response, so I continued this Designed Masks For Little Faces little experiment. landfill, I was raised to use was a relief, finally I had a I then started using the off everything and turn it into an use for these bits of lovely cuts that I had saved from a art project. fabrics. few of my winter lines that I had coveted in my storage; Last year when Marie Kondo The masks slowly evolved lovely organic stretch brushed was teaching us to ‘let go of from using wire from the twills and velvety pinwale everything that doesn’t bring hardware store for nose wires, cords. I have a hard time us joy’ I almost let go of these to flat aluminum wire my letting go of off cuts I really boxes of scraps. When all the partner found on line. hate throwing fabric into the fabric stores shut down this Eventually I printed my silk screened images; a panda LOOKING FOR We grow plenty and Japanese rainbows on MICROGREENS? of them! the softest fabric I had in my bins, these made the perfect comfy mask for kids. Its gotta A&S MICROGREENS be so hard convincing kids t.250-710-6135 www.asmicrogreens.com to wear masks but with these little pandas I was hoping it would ease the discomfort. Ol’ MacDonald Farm locally grown, organic and delicious These kids masks are free of nose wires unless they are requested, this helps with the coziness. I’m in the process Hakurei turnips, Sungold cherry tomatoes, eggplant, beans, cabbage, of building these new linen masks for kids to help with easy breathing and anxiety. cucumbers, greens, free range Lined with bamboo that doubles as the filter pocket, eggs and more. these are antibacterial and incredibly soft on the face delicious local food grown with love which feels good after learning some woven cottons

Visit us on Saturdays at the downtown Duncan Farmers Market. have been spun with threads that cause rashes. I’m hoping these little details help relieve

the discomfort of wearing a mask.

I’m still designing clothes but the need for masks was so overwhelming that I had to switch gears and make the masks a priority to meet the needs of my community. I’ve been so lucky to be approached by local businesses that are integral to helping locals by keeping money in our local economy. These businesses could have taken short cuts by choosing masks made elsewhere, I have so much appreciation for the community I live in.

Linen cotton kids masks to wear all week long. This newest edition, specific for small children are breathable and comfy child masks made from linen and cotton with a super soft liner made from bamboo that lays against the skin. Each mask comes with a filter pocket for optional filter inserts. Adjustable ear loops made with the same soft bamboo complete the mask for easy on and off.

These fun masks will help ease children back to school in September by reducing anxiety with mask discomfort. $12 each or 5/55$ please add $2 for postage.

To order for a little person you love email: morenaclothing@gmail.com