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April 1, 2021 by Christopher Hooker

What Is STEAM & Why Does It Matter?

Welcome to Creekside’s blog for April! We hope you and your family have had a good March and a restful Spring Break together. We spent time during the break organizing and cleaning our toys, books, and materials. We’ve cleaned the classroom thoroughly, and we hope to continue with our track record of excellent health among our staff and students. Mr. Mike has been busy sanitizing and cleaning the entire school, and we are all looking forward to a wonderful and healthy spring.

This month we’re looking at the importance of STEAM over STEM educational models and how that factors in for your child’s experience at Creekside Kids.

STEM is the push for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in our schools. Giving kids the basics they need to understand and excel at STEM subjects is excellent but often takes the creativity, passion, and inspiration out of learning. The STEM movement came out of a national trend pushing for more students to go to college and not consider trades or other career paths. Many high schools dropped their vocational programs and work-study programs during the rise of the STEM movement. In the past few years, there has been a big push to bring vocational programs back, and high schools have formed some creative partnerships with corporations and junior colleges in response. Your children, who are at the beginning of their educational careers, will benefit from this improved and more broad approach.

By adding the Arts (A) to the STEM model and making it arts influenced, educators have restored the creative and inspirational pieces. If you take a moment, you can see how art involves math and science, so we should not exclude art from a STEM curriculum. No matter what study and career path your child chooses, your child needs to be inspired and creative. To take it a step further, even Physical Education has science– the physics of making a slam dunk, hitting the home run, and even the biology and mechanics of the human body. At Creekside Kids, we do not have a formal PE program, but we encourage age-appropriate physical activity and plenty of fresh air. Young children need to be outdoors daily. Did you know children need approximately three hours (or more) of outdoor sunlight to help their eyes develop properly? At Creekside Kids, we are taking a holistic approach to your child’s development, and the A in the STEAM model is essential to us.

Kids often don’t have enough expressive language skills to thoroughly discuss their thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of the world. Science is a kind of language, as is mathematics which is often described as the universal language. Art is a language, too. It is another way to help children speak, demonstrate what they understand about the world and how they feel about their place in it. At Creekside Kids, we enjoy asking the children about their drawings and their creations. Sometimes the children surprise us with very in-depth explanations for what looks like scribbles to an adult. Often, their artwork reflects their curiosity, their interests, and their emotional development. When asked about their work, the children can be quite articulate, allowing us to have a peek into their minds. It helps us plan our child-centered curriculum.

One of the most important questions we ask our students is, “Can you tell me about this?” and then to be quiet and listen. Asking a few follow-up questions shows them we care, consider their thoughts and feelings to be of significance, and are interested in them. This is the basis of love, and children need to love their teachers, parents, family and know that they are loved back in order to grow well.

In The Reggio Emilia philosophy, we speak about the Hundred Languages of Children. It’s the idea that children communicate in many ways other than words. Our job as educators is to provoke them to continue growing and learning and observing them and reading them–including their artistic products, body language, words, and behaviors. We believe that a holistic approach to guiding children is the best approach.

Filed Under: News

March 1, 2021 by Christopher Hooker

How To Enjoy Spring Break with Preschoolers

Welcome to the March blog for Creekside kids! We’re thinking about staycationing in Colorado Springs. How do you plan a spring break locally that your kids will enjoy and appreciate later on?

There are many wonderful activities around Colorado Springs if you want to have a great time and still stay within a short drive of home. Rather than suggest a selection of places to spend your time adventuring, I’d like to present you with five guidelines for sharing your spring break with your kids:

  1. Don’t over plan the day. There may be a brilliant opportunity to see something unique or do something you remember doing as a child, and that may inspire you to cram in a lot of “significant moments” for your kids. But if you push your kids from event to event, they will want to escape. Keep it easy, breezy, simple, with events planned around the things they need in their schedule, like food, potty breaks, and naps.
  2. Plan for naps. Naps are essential when doing things they might find exciting or stimulating! They need the rest, and they need to come out of that rest knowing that everything is still okay for them. 
  3. Expect meltdowns. If you are taking your kids out of their routine for something special, they may throw some pretty epic tantrums. The excitement and new things can bring out the worst in them because they aren’t their adult selves yet. They’re too young to appreciate the experience as finite and repeatable. Remember that they are each their own little bucket of neurosis and id. They may have a great time and then see a sibling have a great time and feel cheated somehow. Don’t take it personally if they become unreasonable. Remember that new things are difficult for them to process, and they may need more time and assurance from you.
  4. Always have snacks. Activities and significant walking distances require snacks! Be sure to keep them on hand, and for yourself, too. You’re only human, and you need the energy, also.
  5. Don’t forget to look after yourself. I recently took a trip back east to see my family, and on the airplane, the flight attendants went through their safety precautions. They noted that in the awful event that the cabin pressure drops in an aircraft and the oxygen masks fall, you should put your mask on first before helping someone else put their own on. You don’t need food and rest as much as your kids do, but you still need them. Always remember that self-care is also a part of organizing a great experience.

We hope your Spring Break is a great time with your kids. Things will not go according to plan, but you may just have a good time that they will remember for years between the struggles of parenting.

 

 

Filed Under: News

January 1, 2021 by Christopher Hooker

The Things We Are Grateful For at the Dawn of 2021


Welcome to 2021!

2020 was a terrible year from many perspectives, with civil unrest, murder hornets, wildfires, the COVID19 pandemic, and the associated problems (food and toiletry shortages, layoffs, homelessness) all conspiring to make our lives difficult. It’s easy to focus on the hardships and struggles of the past year.

It’s very easy to be negative, in the face of bad things happening. And it takes courage to be positive in the light of hard times. Right now, our kids need us to model resiliency and confidence as we fight our way through the troubles we’re facing. It’s a good time for our kids to see that even when things get bad, coming together as a family with optimism and determination have transformative powers. We are modeling this for the children in our care each day.

We at Creekside have a lot to be thankful for as we close the door on 2020. We’ve managed to retain much of our staff, despite our numbers dropping off as families moved, worked from home and struggled to stay safe in the time of COVID19. We are still offering flexible customized scheduling for our families and are happy that our families like that convenience. We’re so happy to see everyone, glad we are open again, and glad parents are getting back to work, moving our lives closer and closer to the sense of normalcy we once had.

We have managed to remain COVID19 free (knock on wood), and we continue to maintain high safety standards at Creekside. This is not just due to the staff. It also comes from the good practices towards hygiene our parents are teaching their children and our children are bringing into the school. We are grateful to be able to be a part of the education and growth of your wonderful, imaginative, terrific children. For that, we are most grateful.

Thank you for continuing to put your trust in us as partners in your child’s development. If your children aren’t currently enrolled, and you’d like to discuss a place at Creekside Kids for your child, we’d like to invite you to schedule an appointment. Let’s get to know each other! We’re located at 1201 W. Cheyenne Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906, and we can be reached at (719) 635-9111. Our normal hours of operation are 6:30 AM until 5:45 PM, Monday through Friday; however, we have a shortened schedule during COVID of 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM.

Filed Under: News

September 17, 2020 by Christopher Hooker

Get To Know Our Creekside Kids Staff!

A word from the Owner, Ms. Jennifer:

For our Autumn blog, we’ll be taking a departure from our insights into childhood development and activity planning. Instead, we’ve decided to re-introduce the staff of Creekside Kids to the Colorado Springs community!

Ms. Nica

My actual name is Veronica, but because there was already a Veronica working at Creekside Kids at the time I started, I went by my nickname and it stuck.  I grew up in and around Colorado Springs and now live in Ellicott with my three boys on a 35-acre farm.  We raise chickens, ducks, pigs, goats, and dogs.  We also raise Sugar Babies as exotic pets.  

I first started working with children as a teenager by becoming a babysitter.  I developed a little business providing group childcare for PTA meetings which led to my first job as an Aide in an Early Childhood Center.  As I got older I tried other types of jobs but my heart always led me back to working with children.  I decided to go to college and take the courses to become certified as an Early Childhood Teacher.  While at Pikes Peak Community College, I worked at their Child Care Center and learned best practices for the field.  I enjoyed it so much that I continued my studies to become Director Qualified with an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education.  I decided to pursue my Bachelor’s degree at Colorado Christian University.  I have over 20 years of experience working with children and families in the field of Early Childhood and can’t imagine doing anything else.

One of the things I like best about working at a small center is that I get to have a good balance of working with the children, the staff, and doing administrative tasks.  If I’m frustrated or tired of my work on the computer I enjoy getting out into the classroom and working with the children for a while.  They are sweet and funny.  They always make me laugh.

Ms. Karla

I moved to Colorado Springs from Chicago, Illinois in 2017.  Some of the things I like best about Colorado are camping and hiking in this beautiful state.  I go back to Chicago at least once a year and one of my favorite things to do there is visit my family and friends.  I am fluent in both English and Spanish.  I am the middle child in my family.  I have an older sister and a younger sister.  I don’t have any pets.  My favorite color is grey and my favorite food is tacos.  

I started working at Creekside Kids, as an aide in 2017 and took courses to become Teacher Qualified.  One of my favorite classes was called Pyramid Plus and it was all about child development.  The 2020/2021 school year will be my third year at Creekside Kids.  I’m looking forward to learning and growing with the kids this year.

Ms. Valerie

I’m originally from sunny California where I began my career in Early Childhood Education as an aide for a bilingual child care center.  I am currently enrolled in college and am pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education.

I made my move to Colorado in August 2019.  I love animals and have two pets, a Corgi named Rambo and a cat named Angelo.  Some of the things I miss about California are the beaches, the amazing food, Disneyland, and my family.  I really enjoy the outdoors and scenic mountains of Colorado and I am looking forward to lots of snow in the winter.

I truly believe that children are our future so, as an Early Childhood Educator, I try to better my knowledge in the subject and continue my education.  I enjoy attending workshops, seminars, and classes both online and in-person when I get the chance.  Because I enjoy learning and gaining experience so much I decided to search for local jobs in the field of Early Childhood Education.  I started working at Creekside Kids in late December of 2019.  I’m excited about the new experiences, relationships, and memories I’ll be making.

Mr. D’lo

I am a Colorado Native and was born in Denver.  We moved to Colorado Springs when I was a child and I graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School.  I have a younger brother and a younger sister.  After high school, I attended the University of Northern Colorado and majored in Elementary Education with a minor in English as a Second Language.  I have a few months of student teaching to complete before I finish my degree.  I am a part-time tutor and also have experience running summer sports camps for children with the YMCA.  My goal is to become fully certified as an elementary teacher and have my own classroom in the fall of 2021.

Some of the things I enjoy doing when I am not working are playing basketball and doing things with my family.  My favorite color is blue and my favorite food is a burrito.  My favorite kind of pet is a dog but I do not currently have one.  I speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese.  

I joined the staff of Creekside Kids in the summer of 2019 so I have just passed my one year anniversary.  One of the things I am looking forward to at Creekside Kids this year is keeping everything at the center safe and fun.

Ms. Dominique

Colorado has always been my home.  Being born and raised here in Colorado Springs, I have had a lot of milestones in my life–one includes being a class of 2016 graduate of CIVA High School.  CIVA has a curriculum to fit each student’s individual way of learning.  It impacted how I view learning today.

I have a love for adventuring and branching out of my comfort zone to try new things.  Some of my favorite activities are decorating my home, going out for pizza, and spoiling my cat, Bobby.  I love going hiking, fishing, sight-seeing, and fitness activities.  Spending time with my loved ones is very important to me, as they have helped me grow so much as a person.  My favorite color is dark green and my favorite food is pizza.

I found my passion for working with little ones when my little brother was born in 2017 and I began to help take care of him.  Not only was it a surreal experience, but it made me realize how grateful I am to be where I am today.  I’m coming up on my one year anniversary of working at Creekside Kids.  Time flies!  I’m working on taking courses to become Teacher Qualified and plan to stay in the field of Early Childhood Education as a career.

One of the things I am looking forward to this year is to help modify what we do at Creekside Kids for safety during COVID19.  Finding new ways for the kids to learn and grow is our main goal!

Ms. Melanie

I’m a Colorado native and was born in Boulder, Colorado.  I grew up in Denver and I have been in Colorado Springs since 2005.  I am the mother of three children, two boys, and one girl.  Two of my children are grown men and my daughter is in junior high school.  My oldest son, Mr. D’lo, works alongside me at Creekside Kids.  I love spending time with my family, being outdoors, and reading.

I have worked with children since my first job at age 15.  I studied Early Childhood Education at Front Range Community College.  I have been a preschool teacher since I was 20 years old.  I have worked with children in corporate childcare centers, private childcare centers, from home, in church settings, foster care, group homes, preschool, and elementary schools.  I currently work full time at a District 12 elementary school and part-time at Creekside Kids because I haven’t lost my love for preschool.  It is very important to me that all children feel loved.

I love working at Creekside Kids because the kids bring me joy, make me laugh and I love watching them grow.  I love being a staff member because we are like a family.  I enjoy being with my co-workers both at work and outside of work.  The staff of Creekside is my second family.

Filed Under: Latest Updates, News

August 1, 2020 by Christopher Hooker

Creekside Kids Team Excited to Begin the 2020-2021 School Year

We are delighted to report that teachers and students will be returning to school on August 10, 2020. The Creekside Kids team is very excited to begin the new school year and we feel it is time to celebrate!

Why are we celebrating? Because all of our staff — the ones that you and your kids know and love — are returning. There’s a lot of loyalty within our team and our community, and we feel that is worth noting. These teachers really love their kids and families, and they are all looking forward to returning to Creekside Kids. It’s a great and cohesive team, so we’re really excited to kick off the school year on August 10th!

Due to the school guidelines set by the State of Colorado, Creekside Kids will be following all directives and procedures. So we can all adhere to the safety rules for your children and our staff, we thank you for your assistance in helping us create a positive, safe, and healthy educational experience for everyone involved.

Just for fun, here is a humorous graphic we found that illustrates some of the realities we face in trying to keep the kids safe/healthy.

Speaking of food, we have another important update to share with you. 

We no longer have a catering service. All parents will have to send nutritious shelf-stable lunches with their children each day. Lunches need to meet the FDA requirements, which we can provide to families. We’re happy to assist families in being sure that their children have a proper amount of each component required by the FDA. However, we lost our catering service due to COVID and the company changing their business model. We are searching for a cost-effective catering alternative. Yet, the health department prefers us to have children bring their own food from their own homes to reduce cross-contamination. 

To add, here is what Creekside Kids is required to do under the new COVID-era guidelines, which are fluid and frequently changing:

  • All people entering the building, including children, parents, and staff, are required to undergo temperature checks. Anyone showing signs of fever will be prevented from entering.
  • Before the end of the day, all children and staff will have their temperatures checked again so we can report if anyone is at risk and should be sent home until they are well.
  • In the COVID era, the realities are evident that we have to take care of each other if we are to succeed together.
  • We strive to offer an exceptional and safe environment for all of the children we serve. Before COVID, many of us thought that an exceptional environment included organic food, a thriving and creative learning experience, and a safe environment included video cameras, passcodes, and locks. In the time of COVID, safety is more than just video cameras and locks. 

Here is the support we need from the parents:

  • Our policies will be more strict than the State guidelines. 
  • Please be patient and understanding as we follow all of the processes to ensure the safety and health of your children.
  • The costs of following COVID-era guidelines, lower student head-count, and higher staffing requirements are forcing an increase in prices.
  • If a child or staff member comes down with COVID-19, Creekside Kids will be required to shut down for two weeks. Please understand that a sick child can put everyone at risk.

Here are our intended outcomes under these new school year circumstances:

  • As a result of our rigid controls on health and safety, we expect to have a clean, healthy, and exceptional learning environment that will remain COVID-free.
  • Though prices will be rising to compensate for the lower head-count of students and the increased staffing, Creekside Kids will still be providing the same amount of care and attention your family has grown to love.

Thank you for having faith in us. Thank you for having patience as we assimilate all of the new state requirements and guidelines for reopening our child care center in August. And, finally, thank you for doing your part so we can all be successful together. 

We adore you and your family. See you soon!  — The Creekside Kids Team

Filed Under: Events, Latest Updates, News, Parents Tips Tagged With: Child Centric, Children Development, Children Learning, Emilia Learning, Loris Malaguzzi, Pedagogy, Philosophy Of Education, Province Of Reggio Emilia, Reggio, Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia Approach, Reggio Emilia Philosophy

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Location & Hours

creekside building
CREEKSIDE KIDS
1201 W Cheyenne Rd
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 635-9111
 
6:30 am - 5:45 pm
Monday - Friday

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Events and Updates

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Thank you to all of your wonderful teachers! Athima loves camp every summer. And she learns so much. She will be sad that it is the end. But hope to see you next summer!
Stockinger Family
Dear Creekside Staff, Thank you so much for taking such amazing care of Grace this past year. It means so much to me knowing she was in such wonderful hands and she was so happy there with you. We wish you a wonderful summer and hope to stay in touch. Thank you for everything!
Kimnach Family
Creekside teachers, Thanks for another great year of helping our kids “spread their wings”. You are a wonderful caring group of teachers!
John
Dear Jennifer and Veronica, dear everybody at Creekside Kids! Thank you so much for being wonderful leaders, so caring and fun!
Christopher and Family
Dear Creekside, Thank you for allowing Hanna Grace to borrow books, and for taking care of  my  sweet girl!  
Gina
Veronica, Jennifer, Chris, Libby, Melinda and the team I missed. Thank you so much! We will miss the love, fun and guidance (to us both!) of the Creekside Family!
Julie and Sofia Di Gerlando
Thank you so much for everything! You guys are great with kiddos and we would recommend you to anyone. We’ll miss you and we appreciate the time Eli had here. Thanks!
The Wilson Family
Thank you for the wonderful two years at Creekside. We have always felt safe and secure and have enjoyed all the fun and educational activities. We will miss you as Nick moves on to Kindergarten.
Elizabeth, Joe and Nicholas

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Location & Hours

creekside building
1201 W Cheyenne Rd
Colorado Springs, CO 80906  
 
6:30 am - 5:45 pm
Monday - Friday
(719) 635-9111

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Testimonials

Creekside teachers, Thanks for another great year of helping our kids “spread their wings”. You a… Read more
John
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Thank you for the wonderful two years at Creekside. We have always felt safe and secure and have enj… Read more
Elizabeth, Joe and Nicholas
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Dear Jennifer and Veronica, dear everybody at Creekside Kids! Thank you so much for being wonderful … Read more
Christopher and Family
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Veronica, Jennifer, Chris, Libby, Melinda and the team I missed. Thank you so much! We will miss … Read more
Julie and Sofia Di Gerlando
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Dear Creekside Staff, Thank you so much for taking such amazing care of Grace this past year. It … Read more
Kimnach Family
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Dear Creekside, Thank you for allowing Hanna Grace to borrow books, and for taking care of  my … Read more
Gina
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Thank you to all of your wonderful teachers! Athima loves camp every summer. And she learns so much.… Read more
Stockinger Family
Read more...
Thank you so much for everything! You guys are great with kiddos and we would recommend you to anyon… Read more
The Wilson Family
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