High Quality Reggio Community
a monthly message from Executive Director Jamila Carter
Our new school year began just three short weeks ago, and as I’ve visited classrooms, I’ve already witnessed so many things that make PIC a high-quality learning environment. On the last day of in-service, our teachers worked tirelessly to prepare classrooms that spark curiosity, encourage discovery, and give children the freedom to explore. Walking through the center, it is clear how much thought and care goes into creating these spaces where children feel safe, welcome, and inspired.
In these first weeks, I have observed children introducing their interests to teachers and peers—and in turn, teachers allowing those interests to guide learning. One preschooler, for example, expressed a fascination with birds, and soon the classroom was buzzing with questions, books, and artwork about the birds found in our region and around the world. In another classroom, children voted together and agreed to study balls, opening up opportunities to explore shape, motion, and play in ways that are meaningful to them. These moments of shared curiosity illustrate the heart of our approach at PIC.
Our infant classrooms are creating language-rich experiences every day by reading and singing to children and playing simple games that nurture connection and communication. At the other end of the age spectrum, in our school-age program, children construct their own play and learning experiences with teachers present to guide and support them.
A central feature of the Reggio Emilia philosophy, which guides our work, is the use of invitations—carefully prepared experiences designed to invite children into exploration. Each day, teachers set out open-ended materials that encourage wonder and experimentation. For instance, just last week on the nature playground, teachers offered small wooden spoons and watercolor paints, and children quickly discovered countless ways to mix colors, paint textures, and tell stories through their creations. These simple, thoughtful arrangements give children the freedom to express themselves in many different “languages,” whether through art, play, building, or conversation.
What I have seen in only a few weeks is a beautiful reminder that PIC is not just a childcare center—it is a high-quality Reggio Emilia community where children’s voices are valued, curiosity is celebrated, and learning emerges through exploration and relationships. We are proud to be a place where families can feel confident that their children are not only cared for, but also inspired to wonder, create, and grow every day.