Welcome 2009!

With the New Year upon us, I am very excited about everything to come in 2009! For those of you who don't read my private blog, you can hop over there to get an update as to what is going on at the Casa T front. Nothing is definite yet and this potential property is contingent on MANY factors, which we're hoping can hammer out within the next few weeks. I also have training for child care licensing for centers on the 15th of January and I am not signing any lease until I've attended this training. I'm also lining up trainers to train my[future] staff. The next step would be to find quality teachers, and I'm afraid to start that process too early in case this takes much longer than anticipated. I sometimes worry that this is not the best time of the year to launch offsite, since August is the beginning of the Fall semester, but this property is going to be available way before then. Once the website is up, I will be able to start markerting and get a wait list going to see how many families would be interested, and then have a better feel for what to expect.

Even if this property doesn't happen, I've begun the planning and list making to be ready for when it does happen. This is where my families can help. Instead of purchasing containers, I'm collecting recycled jars and containers like these sizes below to store art supplies and art materials. The smaller size I believe is a pickle jar and the larger container is from a large yogurt container. We can also use Jumbo glass jars (large pickle jars) too.




I'm also going to include a few pictures of Reggian inspired classrooms so you can see the look I'm striving for when I get the property. It's a far cry from the traditional preschool classrooms because there aren't commercially made posters and materials that look like they were purchased from the same catalog. Toys and materials are open ended and one of the concepts of Reggio education is the Environment is the Third Teacher because the power of environments inform and shape the kind of learning that will happen in the room.





So, if you are ever browsing Craigslist, please keep your eyes peeled for wood baskets, pretty glass bowls/containers, etc. and shoot me an email so I can contact the seller. I'm also on the hunt for a SMALL playscape such as this one and some small picnic tables. I will probably end up having the order the furniture (small tables, chairs, and shelving) online.




Thought this was cute!! Wonder if Licensing would ok something like this.


You should have all received by now some paperwork to fill out. Please bring that with you next week and a reminder that the $75 biannual supply fee is also due with January's tuition. If your kiddo is here on yoga days, please include $25 for January's yoga. I cannot tell you how much they LOVE yoga!