Month: October 2018

Board of Directors

Posted on by Devon Zuleger

The Meeting House Board of Directors is the corporate policy-making body. In accordance with the Bylaws of Meeting House Nursery School, Inc., Board members hold a two-year term with five positions voted for each year by the Annual Membership Meeting in May.

Duties of the Board include:
– establishing the corporate and legal existence of the school
– setting the governing policies for the school’s program,
– annual review of Executive Director’s implementation of these policies an program operation.

Board of Directors membership is open to:
– parents
– interested community persons
– includes one teacher representative from the staff.

The executive officers of the Board are: Chairperson, Vice Chair, Officer at Large and Treasurer. The Executive Director is a nonvoting member of the Board.

Board meetings scheduled monthly on Mondays, and are open to interested parents. Board meeting minutes and agenda are posted on the “Board News” bulletin board in the hallway and online. Please notify the Board Chair or Executive Director at least two weeks prior to the meeting if you’d like to add an item to the agenda.

If you wish to get in contact with the Board, please email mhnsboard@gmail.com

Board Minutes

Board Agenda

Board Application Information

Learning Environment

Posted on by Devon Zuleger

The nursery school wing, added in 1963, has five classrooms—Rooms 1, 2, and 3 on the main level, Room 4 downstairs, and Room 5 upstairs. Two fenced playgrounds are located adjacent to the classrooms. The “Whale Yard” and “Tree House Yard” offer a variety of large motor equipment and outdoor activities. All of these spaces encourage our children to “be children”– to act, choose, explore, test, investigate, react, and experiment.

We strive to provide a setting that recognizes each child’s uniqueness and inherent curiosity, as well as a love of learning. Our beautiful, light-filled classrooms, innovative play-based curriculum, and nurturing teachers enhance children’s natural curiosity and love of learning.

You can take a virtual peak at our outdoor play spaces and classrooms here.

History

Posted on by Devon Zuleger

Meeting House Nursery School, Inc. leases the west wing of the First Unitarian Society. The Landmark Auditorium was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, notable for his prairie style homes and organic architecture. It is a national landmark visited by architects, students, and tourists from around the world. The nursery school wing, added in 1963, was designed by the Taliesin Foundation to meet the special needs of the nursery and church school programs

The curriculum at Meeting House Nursery School has always been based upon the importance of free play, a respect for children and their ideas, and the freedom for children to explore and develop relationships. The current staff at Meeting House Nursery School boasts a combined tenure of over 65 years at the school.

Over the past 70+ years Meeting House Nursery School has added events to our school year that children and families look forward to every year.  These have become Meeting House traditions; events like family night, Child of the week, Parents’ Night Out and the list goes on and on.

 

 

 

Play-Based Learning

Posted on by Devon Zuleger

Play-based learning fosters life skills such as:

  • Learning to exercise problem solving skills
  • Showing an ability to think flexibly
  • Practicing processing their emotions
  • Facing their fears
  • Trying new things without fear of mistake

Your child will apply these skills to K-12 academic learning and social-emotional learning after they leave Meeting House.

Play is more than you think; it is a way for your child to familiarize themselves with the world while exploring and testing their own limits. At the same time, they are engaged in an activity across varying curricular areas that provides them enjoyment or amusement.

Older children also gain something additional while they play—they discover their own interests and passions. Your child may find they have a love for a specific activity such as art or acting, or possibly for an animal or character. Playtime encourages them to continue exploring their own interests and build skills they will use in the future.

 

Check out this video from Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction promoting play-based learning.

 

4K Program

Posted on by Devon Zuleger

At Meeting House Nursery School, we believe that children learn much of what they need to know through play; their play is their work. We offer a dynamic, enriching play-based 4K program that celebrates and challenges each child, and fosters their curiosity, self-confidence and a love for discovery. 

Details

  • Small class sizes:  maximum 1:10 teacher/child ratio (MMSD school sites will have maximum of 1:18)
  • All 4K teachers at MHNS are Department of Instruction (DPI) licensed to teach 4K and hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree.
  • Continuity of care and honoring attachments — children can remain in a familiar place with familiar teachers
  • Teachers assemble a portfolio for each student demonstrating their learning and growth throughout the year.

Curriculum

  • Our 4K program focuses on language arts and literacy, science and math, fine motor abilities like writing, social skills, and transitioning to five-year-old kindergarten
  • Play-based, developmentally appropriate curriculum based on Wisconsin Early Childhood Learning Standards
  • The daily schedule includes free choice, group time, outside play/large motor time, snack time, and music & movement

Options

  • You may enroll your child in one of three available 4k programs:
    • AM: Monday – Friday morning (9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)
    • PM: Tuesday – Friday afternoon (1:00 – 4:00 p.m.)
    • Full Day Program: Monday – Friday (9 a.m.- 4 p.m.)
  • Tuition rates are based on your child’s enrollment in MMSD 4k and choosing Meeting House as your community site. Additional fees (M-F AM and Full Day) are due to the built in extended programming your child receives beyond what MMSD offers at their school sites. 
  • You may also enroll your child in any of our Extended Care programs
Advantages of  full day 4k
  • Increase literacy and numeracy skills
  • Enhance social emotional awareness and motor skills
  • Full day preschoolers outperform half-day preschoolers in literacy & numeracy and these effects are sustained through first grade. (Robin, Amp, Frede, 2006)
  • Smaller teacher to child ratio

Requirements

  • Your child must be four (4) on or before September 1 to be eligible for enrollment.