Space and the Atelierista

Updates
We looked at another property this weekend, which is in prime, prime, PRIME location for me (NW Austin/Cedar Park). The current preschool that is leasing the property is expanding and plans to move out by the end of January. I'll be the first to admit, this place is not the prettiest of places (and nothing like I had *envisioned* for my escuelita), BUT I looked at it with an open (and realistic) mind. With the encouragement of my Reggian peers, many have had to work with not so beautiful spaces and still run a high quality program. I know I can make this space beautiful on the inside and run an AMAZING program. What I like about it is it has TONS of space. The 2 rooms I would use as classroms are huge. My plan would be to convert one of the extra classrooms into the dedicated atelier, and the other classroom as a teacher library/planning area, if the business is able to run on only two classes of children.

Still crunching numbers on this scenario, and it's also contingent on if the landlord would be able to knock down partial walls in two of the rooms so they're connected. The space is very modular and separated right now. It was originally built to be office condos and was converted when the first tenant opened childcare there. When she grew out of that space, she leased the next office suite and overflow went there, so even though they're next to each other, these spaces are not connected on the inside, which would not work for the type of program I want. There is a playground attached to one side of the building and will also need work. Please keep in mind, this process will probably take months since the procedures for Licensed Child Care Center are a bit different than LCC Home and I'll need to find quality teachers also. Please remember, I'm not opening a "daycare." ;)

I placed an ad last week for a part-time teaching assitant to come and help me in the mornings here at the casa since I'm juggling caregiving with trying to move my program offsite and all the work that comes with that. My inbox was flooded, and I mean flooded with resumes ranging from people of all walks of life, cultures, and skill levels. I am very happy that I do have a great lead if I indeed need to get an assistant in here before I move offsite. And, I also have a lead for an Atelierista!

She would be the person who runs the Atelier, the school's art studio. She's an artist and knows the potential in many media materials. The children will come to the Atelier to work on projects. Atelieristas are valued members of the community of teachers. They decide with the teachers who needs their help with a particular aspect of a project, and in the schools in Reggio Emilia, they usually work intensely with no more than half a dozen children for about an hour and a half per day if needed. What does not get completed in one work time may be completed in the next work period. Children are not urged to hurry to complete a project because teachers are not trying to initiate a different activity. Many of you may agree with me here that the U.S. culture tends to be constantly hurried. Most American teachers feel the pressure to cover required content and time is fragmented in most American schools. Teachers rush from one activity to another, and this is one reason I want to start this preschool instead of returning to the public school system. We won't have the rushed, fragmented time there. And that's a good thing. ;) I'm just trying to see if the program can afford this Atelierista, so I'm putting that positive thought out to the universe.

I'm also open to investors and/or sponsors to get my program launched offsite. So if you know of a person or business who may be interested, please come talk to me.

Love,
Andrea