It is amazing to realize that our first anniversary is coming up very soon! We have grown so much in so many ways in such a short amount of time! We look forward to continuing this trend for years to come!
As always, the school is a busy, lively and ever-evolving place. It is affected by the people that are engaged with its daily life, the ideas that they share and the talents that they bring into being. All of us, especially the leadership and educators at the school, are dedicated to early childhood education and we are always looking for ways to raise the quality of our school, as well as, early childhood education in general. As with most endeavors, small steps eventually develop into big change. As a community that believes very, very much that children should have a joyous and wondrous childhood filled with play and exploration, we are always developing ideas with regard to preserving the inviolability of this most important time in life. One idea that has just become a reality is The Willow School Foundation.
The Willow School Foundation
In my end-of-year letter to our school community (http://willowschoolga.com/whats-new/a-year-in-review/), I mentioned the development of a non-profit organization – The Willow School Foundation - that will be dedicated to improving the quality of early childhood education. I am so thrilled to announce that the organization is official and we have a very dedicated group of individuals (educators and parents) that has agreed to head up our founding board of directors.
The foundation is a really exciting continuation of the mission of the school, which is to be:
…an inspired school for young children, which considers the whole child with the respect and rights due to each individual. Based on a progressive model of early childhood education, The Willow School offers each member of the school community a unique educational experience, a beautiful environment rich with opportunities for growth and respectful, nurturing relationships.
The Willow School Foundation will further the mission of the school with the goal that EVERY child has access to quality childcare and early education. The Foundation’s focus will be improving early childhood education through the following activities:
Raising monies for tuition scholarships for children who would otherwise not be able to attend a quality preschool - first to the benefit of children attending The Willow School and, as the foundation grows, to other quality schools in Georgia through scholarship grants;
Creating professional development opportunities to improve the overall quality of teachers and staff in the early childhood education field, and;
Supporting families by providing parent education and opportunities for parents with common interests regarding parenthood to form a community of support.
Our First Fundraiser - The Anniversary Auction
Coinciding with the school's first anniversary, we will hold our first annual Anniversary Auction on Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 6:30 – 10:30 pm at the Lake House at Avondale (http://thelakehouseatavondale.com). It is shaping up to be a great party and we hope that you will join us!
All proceeds from the auction will support the scholarship fund of the foundation.
We are planning a very fun night that will include:
An artist’s market, including fine art as well as handcrafted items.
Tickets will be sold in advance for $25 per person or $40 per couple. At the door tickets are $35/$50. To order tickets email Janine at janine.willowschoolga@gmail.com.
How do children learn their letters?
During each prospective parent tour I am asked this question or some version of this question. It is a good and valid question. It is also a little difficult to answer, not because we do not know, but because we do not teach the children their letters. The children WANT to know their letters and we provide the opportunities for this to happen.
Children are naturally curious, excited to learn, and yearning to communicate. They learn their letters and a plethora of other things because they want to know and they seek out a hundred different ways to learn what they want to know. The problem lies in the fact that we (adults) have lost trust in that fact. Collectively, we have come to think that adults are the owners and givers of knowledge. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Over the past few weeks, I noticed documentation from the atelier that highlighted the ways in which children seek and obtain knowledge regarding literacy and communication. I asked our pedagogista, Louis, if he would write a blog about it, which he enthusiastically agreed to do. THIS is how children learn their letters in a Reggio-inspired school - through exploration, manipulation of materials, thinking, wondering and conversation and careful guidance from adults - http://willowschoolga.com/whats-new/the-emergence-of-letter-writing-in-play-a-whole-school-perspective/
Enrollment & Upcoming Tours
The enrollment process for the 2016-17 school year is underway. At this time the infant, one-year-old, two-year-old and pre-k classes are expected to be fully enrolled from our current wait list.
There are still a few openings in the preschool (three-year-old) class. If you are interested in enrolling please contact us!
If you would like to visit the school and/or apply for enrollment you can visit us on the following days for a tour:
Friday, February 26 at 4:00 pm
Thursday, March 10 at 10:00 am
Wednesday, March 30 at 10:00 am
If you have any questions about the school or the enrollment process please contact us either by phone (404) 620-8225 or email willowschoolga@gmail.com.
