The Prouty Voice: August 2020

Yes, we are open for child care

By Chloe Learey, Executive Director

The end of July marked two months that our Early Learning Center at Winston Prouty has been re-opened since closing on March 18. One of my favorite moments was on the first day watching two little friends run to each for a hug with big excitement in their voices. It is a symbol of why it is so important to be open if we can do so safely. Continue reading

 

Early Learning Center News

Acorn Room

This summer is flying by. Our routines are in place and babies are acclimated! We are enjoying our outdoor spaces and beginning the day in song under our apple tree. Being in the garden with the infants has been a highlight for the acorn room. We have enjoyed playing in the water, the stick house and sensory table outside. We have been playing and switching our play space around to challenge our very busy toddlers who are climbing, crawling and beginning to walk. Thatcher and Jack both turned 1 this past month, we also welcomed back Kennedy and her family as well as Kylie and her family. It’s exciting to see the acorns evolve it, but sad to know in less than a month our journey together changes. We are enjoying every day!

Willow Room

July has been a busy month with some changes for the Willow children. They have welcomed their new teacher, Rebecca, who is thrilled to join the community here at Winston Prouty. Honor has now stepped out of the classroom to serve in another role, but she is still visiting the children often!

Throughout the month, we have focused on building steady routines in the outdoor classroom. The children have come to display a great sense of belonging in the space, as they frequent the family photo wall, seek out their preferred activities, and anticipate the flow of activity. We typically spend half the morning in the classroom yard where children explore freely or engage with planned activities. Then we usually go for a woods walk, visit the garden, or venture to the lower playground. Most of the children are now familiar with these options and will tell us which they prefer!

In all of their spaces, the children have shown enjoyment in many different experiences which have included painting a wide variety of ways, investigating nature’s fine details, challenging their bodies, and exploring their senses. We look forward to building on the interests we’ve seen emerging as we move through the next month.

Elm Room

August has been a busy month! We said our goodbyes to Abby as she ventures off to finish her student teaching. We wish her the best of luck. We welcome Morgan who has joined the Elm Room Team! We have been enjoying our fun morning “I Spy” as Morgan has hidden items for the children to find first thing when they are arriving. We also had a blast with blow up bowling pins and balls! The children are all enjoying the last summer weeks together before fall transitions for some of the children.

Birch Room

Happy Summer! The Birch Room friends have been enjoying lots of outside time this summer. Some favorite activities include trips to the pond where we stay nice and cool in the shade and water play with the sprinkler, spray bottles, or plastic water slide. Most of our friends prefer to just be sprayed with the hose directly. At the pond, we have been fishing with sticks, using bark as boats to sail across the water, or digging holes in the mud to fill with water and watch it disappear. We also love to jump in the puddles. We have been walking to the bridge and playing games at the top of the big hill. We enjoy using bubbles, the parachute, and collecting sticks, ferns, moss, and pinecones. We are looking forward to continuing all this outside fun for the month of August.

Oak Room

The summer is truly flying by in the Oak room. We are loving the time we can spend with each of our friends this summer. The children have been very creative this summer creating their own games. Our imaginations are blossoming with all the fresh air and beautiful space. We have enjoyed harvesting and eating our yummy vegetables from the garden. We have been getting in a lot of gross motor activity. We are learning to throw balls, play frisbee, and we have been climbing all kinds of hills. We are learning a new appreciation for the wildlife around us. Each day we encounter ants, caterpillars, and butterflies. We have a small family of bunnies we see at morning drop off and the other day we saw a Momma dear with her two babies eating leaves on the soccer field. We had so much fun watching them enjoy a snack with us! We look forward to enjoying the last few weeks with our friend that will soon be venturing off to Kindergarten. We have so many new adventures and new memories to create along the way.

 

Updates to summer schedule

  • We will close THIS Friday at Noon (pick up is between 11:30-12:00)
  • Due to COVID-the ELC Summer Social will not happen this year, hopefully next year!
  • Wednesday, August 26th will be the LAST day of the Summer Program
  • The ELC will be CLOSED on Thursday and Friday August 27th and 28th for deep cleaning & prep
  • The 2020-2021 School Program Year will begin on Monday, August 31st
  • The 2020-2021 School Year calendar will be available soon!

Resources & Events for Families

Early Learning Express – Virtual Visit #4

It’s the dog days of summer, and it is HOT! Find a friend or family member and settle into a nice cool spot to watch a story time featuring the ultimate summer fun – swimming!! P.S. Did you know the phrase “dog days of summer” is a reference to the star sirius, also known as Alpha Sirius Majoris, or Dog Star? During this time at the end of summer the sun shares the region of the sky with Sirius, rising and setting at the same time! Watch the latest video from Sueno

Free plants from the Growing Together Project – Thursday, 8/13

Building a Positive Community and school garden coordinators invite you to participate in a community Growing Together Project in which you and others in the community can grow a windowsill herb garden. The free gardens will be available at Winston Prouty from 2:30-4:00 on Thursday, August 13. More information

Prouty Pickles for Sale – Thursday 8/13 and Friday 8/14

Starting this week you can purchase our homemade pickles made with cucumbers grown by the children in our Early Learning Center! Two flavors: Dill and Bread & Butter, prepared by our Acorn Room Lead Teacher Nancy McMahon. We’ll have a table outside of our main entrance on Thursday, August 13 from 2:30-3:30 and Friday, August 14 from 11:30-12:30. Or you can call anytime and place and order for pick-up! Pickles are by donation ($5 suggested donation) and all proceeds return to the Prouty garden and to further our Farm to School efforts.

Everyone eats!

Everyone Eats! is a food relief pilot program in Brattleboro, which leverages federal relief funds to engage local restaurants in making to-go meals for anyone in Brattleboro, Guilford, Vernon, Dummerston, or Putney whose food security has been challenged by the COVID-19 crisis due to unemployment, underemployment, homelessness, and other financial challenges.with eight Brattleboro restaurants providing 150 meals per day, Monday through Thursday, from August 3-27. More information

Local child care task force looking to hear from parents on child care challenges

The Child Care Counts coalition is looking to hear from parents/caregivers and employers about child care issues in our community. What child care struggles do families and employees face, both now and in the pre-COVID days? Please take a few minutes to help this local task force plan their future actions. The survey should take about 10 minutes

Survey for working parents/caregivers

Survey for employers/sole proprietors

Upcoming Red Cross Blood Drives VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

For the next three months, we will hold monthly blood drives on campus: August 22, September 19 and October 26.. We are seeking donors as well as volunteers to help the make the event possible. If you can volunteer, please contact lisa@winstonprouty.org. To donate, click HERE