Touring a preschool tells you everything you need to know, something you cannot get virtually. Our high-quality early childhood education for your child begins with a preschool one on one tour with the director Debbie Ficarra. You’ll have 20 to 30 minutes to see the children at school, meet the teachers, and ask Debbie any questions you like. These tours take place in the mornings by appointment, Monday through Thursday.
You will be greeted at the front door of the school by Debbie, who prides herself on meeting you individually and is always grateful that you came to the school.
The school was built in 1939, originally a house converted into a preschool in 1949. It maintains the charm of a warm, cozy home. Maybe it could be your grandmothers house, creating a non-institutionalized setting that feels warm and cozy.
Early childhood education in action
Then you will be guided through our two inside classrooms observing the attention to detail with books, blocks, artwork, dress up clothes, open art supplies, fish tanks and open airy sun filled classrooms. On the walls you will observe the children’s artwork, where we pride ourselves on process art. Cubbies line the walls with children’s pictures and names. Photographs are everyone, including a family photo to represent each child’s family.
The classrooms are filled with books for children to access as well as art materials such as crayons, scissors, tape and paper. There are areas for quiet play as well as more animated play. Each classroom has an area for playing house, using manipulatives, tables as well as floor play, with room to spread out and be creative.
The school includes a bathroom with small toilets, hand washing in each classroom, fresh materials, as well as classrooms that are thoroughly cleaned daily. We are big on clean.
Early Childhood Education Continues Outside!
Outside is a child’s dream yard filled with soft sand, a hose with running water, mud kitchen, swings, slide and tables filled with everything from art to Plato books and manipulatives. Children have access to a playhouse with a slide, swings, and ropes. What children love is our open-ended water play. Water play is facilitated by tables filled with measuring cups, buckets, and a running hose with shovels close by for digging in the sandy yard while using water to mix and create.
You will see teachers in the yard, watching children make art, pushing the swings, comforting and listening. Observe our teachers resolving a conflict by offering conflict resolution skills, as we teach children how to navigate their feeling with communication. Miss Leah could be helping a child find an activity should they need some guidance; Mr. Hugo is always cleaning the school while making out yummy morning snack and Miss Jena loves setting up sensory activities.
Under The Elm Tree Learning
Last not least is the beautiful Chinese Elm tree that shades our children with its lush green foliage. Like the backyard of a cozy house, this is where the children spend their days pretending, exploring and growing. Removed from the world, we create under the elm tree moments of learning that cannot be replicated on an asphalt yard. Children feel nature up close and personal, looking up at the sky ad feeling the world all around them.
Come see us at La Canada Preschool, we’ve been waiting for you….