MUSIC CLASS

Music is an important and integral part of Early Childhood learning. In the classroom, all of our teachers sing songs, teach finger-plays and help the children explore a variety of musical instruments. In addition, Liz Byrne brings her own expertise and works with each class for 30 minutes once a week. Each session is filled with energy, engagement and developmental fun. Liz is adept at helping children foster early language skills, motor development and a life long love of music.

WESTMORELAND VISITORS

SMP is very lucky to have Westmoreland Sanctuary as a partner in nature exploration and learning.

Once a month a Naturalist visits each class for 30-40 minutes. When the weather is nice, they take the children outside to look for signs of critters and changing seasons. Learning to be quiet observers, they spy bird’s nests both inhabited and abandoned, turn over rocks to see insects, listen to bird calls, and always keep their eyes out for signs and tracks. On inclement days, they settle into each classroom with critters, animal skins and stories to tell.

Gym/Art

This year, armed with fun movement activites, Christiaan Cacciotti brings his gym teaching skills to SMP. Targeting gross motor development, the children will be hopping, jumping, climbing through tunnels, running relay’s and winding their way through obstacle courses. If they seem particularly tired on Tuesdays, you will know why. As an art teacher, Joanne Ponzo brings her extensive career (middle school, high school, special ed) to SMP. Targeting different mediums and working on fine motor skills, she can be found with the children mixing paints, watercolors, dot art, glue and clay. Wednesday mornings your children may come home a bit messy! But as we say everyday, kids should “dress for mess!”