An Exciting Summer for Early Childhood Students: an Update from Leadership

Spring was a beautiful season for the Early Childhood Program. In April, parents were invited to attend a presentation on container gardening, by Early Childhood in partner with OSU Extension office. Each family proudly left with an official start to their home garden! In May, families were able to participate in a ‘Cooking with Kids’ demonstration to encourage innerfamily engagement!

Students and families worked together to plant their very own tomato plant to take home (above). By now, these family’s tomato plants should be ripening, almost ready-to-eat!

Students and families worked together to plant their very own tomato plant to take home (above). By now, these family’s tomato plants should be ripening, almost ready-to-eat!

Early Childhood families prepared a quick, fresh, and healthy three-course meal together (above). This encourages independence while leaving the event with new skill sets and boosted morale within each family.

The children at our learning centers were filled with experiences while our subsidy program charged through recertifications! Parent-Teacher conferences were offered to all Early Childhood families, and our developmental assessment reports showed continued progress in our students.

Several of the current preschool children will move into school age as they begin Pre-K and Kindergarten this fall. To maintain reasonable group sizes, we are opening a second school-age room at Woodland Academy, utilizing our multipurpose room. We are excited that our growth has brought about this need.

Moving into summer, we start preparing for the annual 4th of July celebration and lay out plans for a backpack giveaway come August. Be sure to check our Facebook page for details as we get closer to the end of the season!

Several of the current preschool children will move into school age as they begin Pre-K and Kindergarten this fall. To maintain reasonable group sizes, we are opening a second school-age room at Woodland Academy, utilizing our multipurpose room. We are excited that our growth has brought about this need.

Woodland Academy also implemented a ‘Mother’s Room’ this season, utilizing our nurse’s office. The Mother’s Room provides a comfortable space, furnished with a rocking chair, table, and a few comfort items for mothers, as well as team members with children enrolled in our program, who breastfeed, pump or just need a quiet space. The Mother’s Room has been well received by parents and team members!

We are midway through an exciting summer schedule for the children enrolled in our learning centers this summer. Our school age children are going on local field trips, as well as, enjoying some new activities, including dance lessons, a painting class, and woodworking! While we enjoy the summer fun, we are participating in a summer reading program to help prevent summer learning loss.