There are moments that I feel absolutely privileged to be a teacher. There are golden moments: when I get to witness the light in a child’s eyes when she realizes she can read or pump on a swing; or I overhear him say kind words to another person. Lately I’ve been lucky to have many such moments!

One of our new adventures this year has been visiting the senior citizens at Stonebridge at Montgomery. Having the preschoolers, seniors and parents together has been pure magic!
When I told the “threes” that we’d be going again, one little boy pumped his fist in the air and said, “YES! I LOVE that place!”

I had tears in my eyes the other day, as my shyest, quietest, youngest ones approached their “grandfriends” and offered them a turn at bowling. At one point, one of our grandfriends forgot they’d had a turn, and seemed confused. One child said, “Don’t worry, just take this ball, and roll it that way.” I was so proud!

One little guy even stood up in front of everyone and sang a song he’d made up!

Other highlights and memorable quotes:
Mrs. Yinden, are worms amphibians?- 3 year-old
Mrs. Linden! You should read this book; it’s about metamorphosis! 4 year-old
While watching a video clip of a dragonfly metamorphosing from a nymph: “Metamorphosis! Just like butterflies and amphibians!” 4 year-old

I was asked the worm question by a three- year-old on the playground. He’d found yet another worm, and was obviously still excited about the morning’s lesson.

No, worms are not amphibians, but their skin is very similar to salamanders, isn’t it? I told him I wasn’t sure exactly what “family” it belonged to, but I know it’s an invertebrate. We talked about backbones, and that we were vertebrates, but I’d need to research a worm’s classification.

I’ve had several people laugh at my “Precipitation” and “Metamorphosis” songs, asking me, “Why does a three-year-old need to know THAT?”

Why not? We encourage playing with toys, letters, number, why not the spoken word? When the child is ready to read and comes across them as written words, they will be familiar friends.

One of their favorite games now is when we take animal puppets and photos and classify them, asking, “Is it a fish?” “Is it a bird?” “Is it a reptile?” “Is it an amphibian?” “Is it a mammal?”

I LOVE the variations of articulation, especially “fibbians” and “reptangles.”

The children are thoroughly mesmorized by our butterflies and tadpoles!

We visited the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association’s Buttinger Nature Center last week.
When I told them that we would be able to release our butterflies in the butterfly house, one little girl exclaimed, “That’s the BEST news!”

The children absolutely loved the turtles, touching the snake, and releasing the butterflies! Special thanks to Jeff Hoagland for showing us the frog that snuck in to the Butterfly house! They have spring peeper tadpoles just like we do!

The children cheered as we released the butterflies.

It’s the end of the school year, and I feel as though I’m about to “release” my “babies” (students.)
They come in September so young, so small. They leave in May entirely different “creatures,” ready to spread their wings and fly. Like butterflies, I can witness their initial flight. Some return for a visit, others I don’t see again. All I know that it has been a privilege to watch their metamorphosis. Thank you parents, for letting me share these moments of your child’s life!

Thank you to all the parents, staff, former staff, volunteers, alumni and families for such a wonderful 50th Celebration!

Thanks to my darling students for working so hard on the decorations for the classroom!

The sun came out, the weather cooperated, and everyone had a great time.

Rocky Hill Mayor Ed Zimmerman issued a proclamation honoring RHCNS, and declared it to be “Rocky Hill Cooperative Nursery School Month!”

In attendance was a member of the FIRST three-year-old class in 1959! His great-niece is now enrolled in our “threes!” Yes, the great-granddaughter of the first teacher at RHCNS is now in attendance!

Yes, the rain WILL hold off! Come see our classroom, come meet old friends!
Come celebrate 50 years of a wonderful school!

“Metamorphosis, we know metamorphosis,
Metamorphosis means that things can change…”

Caterpillars, tadpoles, plants, oh my!

The children have been busy observing, measuring, recording and hypothesizing about our painted lady caterpillars and bullfrog tadpoles!

Check out the image gallery!

“As soon as I walked in for my classroom visit I was delighted to hear children laughing, painting, building with blocks and other children planting a small garden. This image sticks with me to this day because it wasn’t only the children that appeared to have a happy, warm and comfortable feeling about them, but the teachers as well. The schools motto, ‘Imagine, Explore, Create’, is taken seriously and the children are encouraged to do all. There is also an emphasis on nature AND the natural world around us while leaving out commercialism”.

”I just want to make it clear, the Rocky Hill Coop School has been one of the best decisions that I have ever made for my children and I couldn’t be happier with the progress and socialization skills my daughter is learning”.

“Rocky Hill Co-Op Nursery School is quite simply a great school. I love the small size, dedicated teachers and parents, and emphasis on community. I believe that my child is and will be a better person for having gone there.”

“I love not only the school but the families we have met there. The cooperative model of education seems to attract parents who are active and joyful participants in their communities and their own children’s lives. Our children aren’t the only ones in the family who have made some great friends through the school.”

“This school has such a gentle and loving environment. It’s the perfect baby step between home and “real” school – a place to develop a delight in learning without the rigorous academics of some preschools. My children have loved going to school here and have come home each day excited to share the many interesting things they learned. That’s the best preparation for kindergarten.”

“My daughter complains about preschool: ‘Is it my day to go to school yet’?
I am grateful that my daughter is in a preschool where it is a community of support for the children and their families”.

“My two oldest children both attended Rocky Hill Co-op. They learned so much from its great teachers and warm family environment. It was a gradual introduction into school and its routines, but still allowed a lot of time for play, independent exploration, and creativity. The friends we all have made from their time there are ones we will always treasure. I look forward to sending my youngest son back to RHCNS in the future.”

RHCNS provides an opportunity for the children to learn while playing. The children have fun, socialize and the school sneaks in learning without them even knowing they are doing so! It’s a great place for parents to meet other parents and become like a “family”. It’s a wonderful environment!

What do we explore? Many, many things! One of the things we explored recently was the concept of five. Children each counted out five beans, then created “combinations” of five. Three in one hand, two in the other. Four and one. Zero and five. Then they make the connection between the amount and the written numeral. We also explore things in unusual ways… Pointillism and numerals? A fun way to practice handwriting! (Some children were singing, “Point! Point! Pointillism!” as they wrote!

Monet? Monet for preschoolers?

What can preschoolers possibly do with a Monet theme? Well, we created a “Japanese Bridge and Water Lilies” on our “pond” rug! Some children balanced “water lilies” on their heads as they walked over the bridge. Some made water lilies out of playdough!

We looked at some of the paintings we’ll see at the Princeton Art Museum.

We learned that Monet didn’t like black, and liked to paint outside. He loved his gardens, and loved painting pictures of his pond and bridge!

I gave the children a palette of pastels, and was amazed at the enthusiasm and time they put into their paintings! Children who haven’t previously been intrigued by painting asked for multiple sheets, or spent time putting careful strokes on their paintings!

It was a fabulous day!

(Check out the Image Gallery for more scenes from today!)

Yesterday we walked to the Rocky Hill Post Office to mail our Valentines. We had a gorgeous, sunny day and the children noticed EVERYTHING along the way!

Each child had 42 cents and asked, “May I please have a stamp?” (I was so proud!) After they purchased their stamp, they put it on the X on their envelope! They then put their letters in to mail.

We then got to see what happens behind the scenes! Each child got to hand cancel their own letter, and put it in their PO Box or in the box for the mail truck.

Soon their decorated envelopes will be arriving home!

Last Wednesday night we had our third annual Campfire Singalong! Students and siblings (big and little) came in their pajamas, and parents and staff came to have fun! Our “campfire” was made of blocks, paper and flashlights!

The children had selected the songs they wanted their parents to sing with them earlier in the day. Parents did “Tooty Ta” with us, “Mother Gooney Bird,” and other silly songs. The night ended with a reading of the Cajun Gingerbread Boy “rebaked” by Berthe Amos, and some cajun dancing! Parents and children learned to dance to zydeco music! Hot chocolate, snacks, and s’mores-to-go were available to all!

I wish I could post the pictures of everyone… the room was full of happy, laughing people singing and dancing!

It was one of the many reasons why this school is so wonderful!

At RHCNS, I am the director and head teacher, but I am also a former parent. Two of my three sons attended RHCNS. (We didn’t live in the area when my eldest when to preschool!)

When my second son was three years old, by the time I’d heard of RHCNS, the classes were full. He attended another school. When he was four, I’d enrolled him in his same school, paid the non-refundable deposit, then got a phone call that an afternoon class was opening at Rocky Hill, was I interested?

ABSOLUTELY! Forfeiting the other deposit was a no-brainer.
RHCNS is an “old-fashioned” nursery school. It’s a place for parents who can/want to be involved in their child’s preschool education.

The Rocky Hill difference? For me, I loved the fact that I got to see who my children were playing with, and got to meet the other parents in the school. I also loved spending time in the classroom, being the helping parent.

At RHCNS, our policy has never been to pull a sobbing child from a parent’s arms. If a child needs their parent to stay, the parent can stay. (I myself stayed the first three weeks with one of my children!) If, however, the PARENT has difficulty separating… that’s a different story! Cell phones make it so easy… if your child needs you; we call you!

That being said, we work WITH the parents! In September, some parents are confident that their child will cry for a short time and will be fine. If that’s the case, we comfort the crying child.

We are a co-op, which means parents run the school. We have always employed head teachers with at least a BA in education. We meet periodically with the kindergarten teachers at Montgomery Public Schools and implement any curriculum suggestions they may have.

Parents are encouraged to share their talents. Have a new ideas? Share it! RHCNS is a place for families!

The helping days work out to approximately four or five times a year.
Parents can choose their amount of involvement. They are required to serve on committees or the board, but other involvement is optional. There are parents whose children have long since graduated, but still get together on a regular basis. Parents have been known to form book clubs, social groups, vacation together…. It’s up to you!

As a teacher with a degree in Early Childhood Education (Rowan University, ’80) and certified as a Teacher of the Handicapped, I’ve used my years of experience to create a language-rich, hands-on curriculum. Don’t look for worksheets here! My years as a volunteer at the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association also comes in handy, and allow me to provide fun nature experiences for the students!

This year, RHCNS is celebrating our 50th anniversary. I find it amazing that I’m only the fourth director in 50 years! Stay tuned as we plan for our big celebration on May 2!

Rocky Hill Co-op is school about families, for families. Parents understand the importance of play, discovery, and hands-on learning, and the children have fun!