February, 2010

Dear Friends,

Recently MRH ECC in partnership with Webster University was named by the Reggio Children’s Project in Reggio Emilia, as the only partner site in the world to train teachers in the Reggio approach to early childhood education. This recognition highlights the outstanding programming offered at the Early Childhood Center.

The District has been working hard to insure that facilities at the Center are upgraded to allow the fifty year-old building to support the Reggio approach. A key belief of the Reggio program is that environment is the third teacher. In keeping with that belief, the District secured a grant to develop a beautiful atelier, or art studio, for the students. Secondly, a new preschool space was completed this year, modeled after the spaces in Reggio. A grant to support a Seed to Table program has allowed a gardener to work with students in growing fruits and vegetables. This year we added a chicken coop, purchased with grant funds, and students are learning about raising their own eggs. In the fall we planted an orchard and berry plants were added.

Right now the ECC playground is a muddy mess of empty ground…but the parents and teachers and children have other ideas. They want their playground to serve as the third teacher for a whole range of outdoor play and exploration. Teachers and administrators worked with two parent architects to develop a plan filled with adventure and imaginative play. Children and parents added their own requests and the resulting plan is an exciting, naturalistic environment that one parent commented “is going to be a kid magnet.” Another noted, “Our children won’t want to come home.” And that is part of the plan. The hope is that children will be drawn to the playground after school and on weekends, making it an ideal place for families to meet and enjoy time together. The goal is to avoid the traditional playground structures, and instead offer children amazing opportunities to invent their play within a simple and natural yet provocative environment.

The plan shows a playground that begins with a paved road that is five feet wide circling the grounds. The road can be used for fitness walking during physical education and for casual strolls by adults and children, but most importantly it offers a path for children to travel to all parts of the play environment. The playground is designed as a series of adventures beginning with the “Early Childhood Vehicle Garage.” There children can select vehicles to begin their adventures—everything from tricycles, stick ponies, a fire truck, small peddle cars will be available. And then they are off. The first stop might be the farm. There children might visit the chickens, perhaps checking to see if there are any eggs. They might wander through the orchard planted with apple, pear, and plum trees. They might climb on bales of straw piled for them to enjoy.

They might stop by the village, a collection of playhouses and stores that allow children to play community. The stores can be changed at a whim, and the houses, open on both sides, offer wonderful opportunities for imaginative experiences.

If not the village, perhaps the climbing rocks or the climbing wall, where students can stretch their young arms and legs, might entice them. An then they are off over the magic bridge into the magic forest, where interesting trees loom, a fabulous wooden structure becomes a castle or space ship, a swing allows them to play Tarzan or Robin Hood, and there is a great hideaway made out of dwarf weeping mulberry trees.

Perhaps the young adventurers are ready to head for the prairie, where a giant wooden teepee structure will allow a whole tribe to gather around an imaginary campfire and tell stories. The teepee is nestled in the midst of a natural prairie that will be planted and tended by students. Separating the prairie from the farm is a low, wide stone wall with an arbor framing an opening in the middle. This wall can become a fort, or students can sit on top of it to play board games.

On the road is also a fascinating living tunnel constructed with willow whips that the students will plant. There are also cutting gardens students will plant and care for, allowing them to bring flowers into their classroom. And there is a music garden where children can use several natural instruments to experiment with sound and will no doubt make beautiful music.

This is a playground plan waiting to be filled with children’s laughter, their squeals of delight and endless hours of adventure. We estimate the cost of the playground will be somewhere around $80,000. Half of the expense will be paid by grants the district is securing. Additional funds will be raised by the PTO. The district’s cost will be somewhere around $30,000—a good investment in children’s learning.

Sincerely,

Linda Henke
Superintendent