Preschool Partnership to Strengthen Children

Article from Seacoast Online posted on April 14, 2016 http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20160414/NEWS/160419460
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Visitors to My First School often remark about the strong sense of community felt throughout the Hampton-based preschool. This sense of community is an intentional, active effort by the school’s staff to ensure each parent and child who participates is treated with kindness and respect.
“We try to learn as much as possible about the individual child, their family and their interests. We offer a sensory-rich environment, with play opportunities that help us know each child’s cognitive level, but more importantly, their social and emotional developmental stages.” explains the school’s owner, Leslie Hill. “It is important work, helping children be safe, and feel secure and confident while they learn. We encourage parent participation in our school because we want the whole family to feel welcome. We try to speak with our families almost every day to make the experience meaningful. Parents are the most important educators in their child’s life!”
To strengthen this message, Hill invited Mindfulness Educator and co-founder of The Connected Elephant, Meg O’Connor, to share mindfulness tips with her staff and students. Hill explained, “Meg’s work aligns perfectly with the goals of our school.”
O’Connor agrees. She believes the partnership can provide additional brain-body connective strategies that will help the children thrive in all areas. “Throughout the school’s almost 30 year history, they have used yoga, movement, outdoor play and hands-on sensory exploring crafts to stimulate the children’s senses and brains,” said O’Connor.
“What could be greater than combining The Connected Elephant’s brain based curriculum that teaches mindfulness, self-regulation, and compassion with My First School’s best practices in child development?” asked O’Connor, a trained advocate for children.
In order to expand the impact of lessons, workshops will also be available for parents and caretakers to attend as well. My First School is enrolling for the 2016-2017 school year in April.