Explorer Preschool in the News

Please select a news item from the following list:

• Explorer Staff, board member receive State Recognition Awards
• Explorer waltzes onto the front page of the Mercury News, "Nutcracker Ballet from Preschool to the Professional."  December 2008
• Explorer at Willow Glen Community Carnival
• Explorer moms race for the cure
• Explorer Hosts band "Milkshake"
• Outdoor Classroom Dedicated in 2004
• Learning Together: Co-op Preschools Make Education Fun for Kids and Parents (PDF file 1.74MB) From Bay Area Parent Magazine 2004-2005 Childcare and Preschool Finder. Click here to go to Bay Area Parent website to reference the entire article. Bonny Doon Community Preschool - Santa Cruz, 831-459-7795, www.calcentral.com/bdps. The website is in error in this article.
• Curriculum Disputes in Early Childhood Education This link will take you to the following website: http://www.ericdigests.org/2000-3/disputes.htm

Explorer Parent Participation Preschool Staff, board member receive State Recognition Awards at The California Council of Parent Participation Nursery Schools’ annual convention held in March. The CCPPNS, with more than 320 member schools, is a state-wide community of parents and educators committed to teaching and inspiring families through parent involvement and mutual support. Explorer’s Director Konne Ainsworth, teachers Annie Castle Deckert, Jackie Kite, Josefina Madrigal and Board Treasurer Lori Levin received awards. For more in formation about CCPNS follow the link: http://www.ccppns.org/index.php

Award winners join with Explorer Board members at this years' CCPNS convention.

Back row (L-R) Theresa Rossetto, Linsey Krolik, Konne Ainsworth, Lori Levin, Annie Castle Deckert, Jackie Kite
Front row (L-R) Francette Pecoraro, Pat Maier, Josefina Madrigal

Explorer's 4-day Nutcracker performance gets front page press

A 4-day tradition, students in costume dance the parts of the Nutcracker. This preschool version is just right for all ages!

Explorer at Willow Glen Community Carnival A festive booth displayed Explorer art projects. Kids had a chance to participate in a craft, and parents learned more about our school. Explorer moms race for the cure L-R Gina Behl, Renee Brannon, Rhonda Nourse Three Explorer moms walked 60 miles over 3 days and raised over $6000 in the 3-day Breast cancer walk benefiting Susan G. Komen for the cure. Explorer Hosts Popular Children's Band "Milkshake" The community was invited to attend a live children's concert held at the Markham Little Theatre featuring The Milkshake Band. Explorer recruited the nationally known band and sold tickets as a way to share the spirit of our school with the city of San Jose. It was a rockin' good time!

Our New Outdoor Classroom

Explorer Preschool celebrated the completion of its Outdoor Classroom with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on April 29.  The celebration marks the end of a year-long project to create an outdoor educational environment that stimulates the students’ senses and provides endless opportunities to explore and learn.

With the guidance of teachers Konne Ainsworth, Annie Deckert and Jackie Kite, Alissa Noguez Landscape Architect designed a space full of winding path ways, water and sand areas, two climbing structures and a full scale play house.  The design also included more than thirty different types of plants to add texture, color, smell, and taste to the classroom.  West Bay Landscape Company turned this design in to reality.  But the best work off all is done every day by the students who continually find new ways to interpret the space to fit their individual needs.  Like the student who learned a “new way” to work the tire swing or the other one that sees the climbing structure as her very own pirate ship.

Much of the volunteer work and funds needed to build the Outdoor Classroom came from current and alumni families of Explorer.  As part of the Child Care Playground Safety Initiative, the school also received a large grant from the Packard Foundation and Community Ventures Incorporated.  Local businesses such as South Bay Materials, Ogawa-Mune Nursery and KOMPAN Unique Playgrounds contributed supplies and materials at considerable savings making this a true community effort.

Explorer Preschool is an NAEYC accredited parent participation school where children, at an individual pace, can learn and develop through play.  Parents learn to be child educators at home, at school, and in their community, through observation in the classroom, seminars, and discussion with the credentialed teachers.  The school has been working with the families of our community since 1960 and is located at 2700 Booksin Avenue in Willow Glen.

Climbing Structure with Monkey Bars