Starbright

Starbright is a Waldorf-oriented preschool with an emphasis on the arts. It is a small school with a capacity for 34 children ages 2 years to 5 years. The curriculum emphasizes whole child development.

Starbright has created an environment in which children can keep intact the magic and dreaminess of childhood. The atmosphere is intimate home-like and harmonious. The classroom is set up to encourage imaginative play and the creative process. The materials available have been chosen to allow small and large motor skills to develop in an organic holistic way. The activities focus on artistic expression the flowering of the imagination and on social skills and interactions which encourage cooperation and non-aggression. The activities are planned and designed to help the children as they develop their small muscles their large muscles their language and their relationships with other children and adults.

Cooperative harmonious non-aggressive social skills are part of the daily learning process. The rhythmical nature of the daily schedule and the engrossing lyrical quality of the activities themselves form the basis for our discipline. We want the children to appreciate and learn as much as they can about the world around them to learn about themselves and to explore their own sense of creativity.

There is a definite schedule for each day of the week. A rhythm is established that alternates unstructured imaginative play with structured artistic activities. These include games songs fingerplays watercolor painting beeswax modeling sewing and crafts bread baking creative dramatics gardening storytelling and movement exercises.

The curriculum is Waldorf-based and is appropriate for the developmental needs of the young child. It is multicultural including the celebration of many ethnic and cultural festivals and holidays. Spanish and ASL (American Sign Language) are taught by visiting teachers. A yearly rhythm has been established based on the natural flow of the seasons. Circles activities and celebrations reflect these changes.

Our teachers are nurturing and loving. They are trained and have experience in working with small children. The toys and materials used are simple and for the most part made of natural fibers. Some of these include blocks wooden toys and animals soft knit and cloth dolls fabric dress-ups rocking horses a doll house a puppet house and a housekeeping corner. There is an extensive library of childrens books. There are several animals in residence. There are also puzzles manipulatives art supplies and musical instruments.

The outdoor area is very large with a rolling terrain. It is fenced and shaded with many trees and has swings a large sandbox a playscape a log cabin a slide and riding toys. There are many beautiful gardens with flowers herbs and vegetables in the yard.

Snacks are served daily. They are wholesome nutritious and vegetarian. During the colder months the snacks consist of cooked grains several days of the week. The children make their own bread and soup and fruit salad which they eat for snack. Sugar is very rarely used. Children bring their own lunches. Families with many different dietary choices attend the school and each childs diet is respected.