Greetings to everyone from the Preschool Department at Futuro Verde!
Many parents and educators are coming to us with the same question: how are our littlest learners adapting to the new restrictions at school put in place due to the COVID – 19 pandemic?
The answer: extremely well! Children the age of our preschool and Prep students (3-6) are neurologically designed to adapt to their surroundings. They thrive when presented with consistent routines, clear instructions and firm boundaries.
During the first week of school Stephanie, Yensy and I worked hard to establish routines which incorporate our school`s health protocol: consistent and correct handwashing, eating and playing in contact bubbles, and keeping all food and utensils for personal use. While mask wearing is not required for children under six, we are also working to the best of our ability to minimize physical contact of all kinds. Our students are doing a wonderful job of following these rules, and learning how to have fun in a way that is different from past years.
While all parents are, understandably, concerned about their young children being exposed to viruses and bacteria at school, as an educator I want to emphasize the importance of social interaction for children. This is true for all children but especially for kids under 6.
For healthy growth, their brains need the kind of stimulation that school can provide. They need to experience conflicts with their peers in order to build appropriate socio-emotional skills. They need to move their bodies for gross and fine motor skill development: without reinforcement in these skill areas, our young children run the risk of losing this essential window of development.
In order to ensure that our students continue to have access to social and academic support during the current global pandemic, we will continue to place utmost importance on the consistent adherence to health protocols. At home, parents can help us in this process by reading all school emails thoroughly, and by reinforcing hygiene and health regulations.
We want to thank the preschool parents for their wonderful communication so far this year, and to encourage everyone to send us an email with any questions or concerns that they may have.
Best wishes for a safe and healthy school year!