January Message from Deb
New things in the new year
The arrival of a new year always brings the opportunity to reimagine, recharge, refocus and recommit and this year all of these things seem to be more vital than ever. With a continued commitment to children and their families, here are a few things I’m excited about this year.
Our PPP Task Force is reviewing the over 200 surveys that our families and teachers have completed to better understand the diversity of views and ideas on parent participation at PIC. The Task Force will create recommendations that will then go the PIC board to review. Be on the lookout over the next couple of months to hear about recommendations for change.
We are excited to announce the reinstatement and the reimagination of our Family Book Festival that will take place on Sunday, January 29 from 3-5 pm in our Small Gym. PIC’s Diversity Committee is taking the lead on this event and will feature many books that celebrate diversity in children’s literature. We will have guest readers share books with children, crafts, music and snacks. Come connect with friends on a winter weekend afternoon and share in the wonderful literacy resources that we have.
We look forward to continuing to make facility improvements with plans to replace the flooring and countertops in both the Wild Things and Rainbows classrooms this year. Our Building and Grounds Committee will also take a larger-scale look at all of our facilities projects and reorganize them in order of importance and funding.
We will support project-based learning throughout all of our classrooms. This past year, I was delighted to observe children in deep exploration of topics such as light and shadows, paper, woodworking, sculptures, music, fire stations and communities, and so many more.
We are excited to continuing growth in our community partnerships and are looking at collaborative endeavors with the Penn Alexander School and the University City Arts League.
We are recharged in our planning for expanding opportunities for diversity at PIC and providing high quality early childhood opportunities to all families, no matter their household income. Stay tuned for more information soon on this exciting front.
My own professional goal for 2017 is to re-immerse myself in early childhood advocacy efforts in as many ways as possible, to spark conversations, and raise awareness about the importance of high quality early care and education for all children. I am honored to be part of a statewide coalition traveling to Washington, DC in late February for the Public Policy Forum sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
PIC has always been a leader in advocating for young children and their families. I am excited to do all that I can to keep our work at the forefront of local and national conversations. Here’s to positive work and action in 2017!
Thank you for entrusting your children in our care.