A beloved UMD-based preschool is set to reopen on January 10. Preschool at the Park is now accepting student applications and will have an open house for families on January 4 and 5.
The preschool has been shuttered since the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020. “We’re seriously excited to be able to offer the program again. It’s been a long time coming,” says director Leslie McFadden.
Preschool at the Park is located on the UMD campus in the Chester Park building, which some may remember as the old Chester Park Elementary School (31 W. College St). The program’s goal is “to provide quality, innovative preschool experiences that are play-based, student-centered, and keyed to the environmental and cultural needs of the Twin Ports area.”
The program serves children from ages 3 to 5 years old. It has a small class size that’s capped at 15 students and operates Monday through Friday from the first day of UMD fall semester classes through the end of May term.
The preschool is open to the public. It is community-oriented and tied to UMD’s mission of outreach and public service.
The program emphasizes environmental and science education. One of its features is a new outdoor playscape that was designed with insight from Julie Ernst, professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences and expert in the field of early childhood environmental education. Ernst’s work has shown that spending time in nature increases children’s abilities in the areas of curiosity, creative thinking, and resilience.
Preschool at the Park’s curriculum builds on such research by integrating nature play. It also emphasizes the value of relationships and provides practical learning experiences for kids through partnerships with area organizations on campus and beyond, such as the Tweed Museum of Art, the Duluth Children’s Museum and the Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center.
Being located on a vibrant university campus is a big benefit to the program, according to Katharine Grunseth, one of the new teachers. “There are so many opportunities and things to explore on campus and resources to tap into,” she says.
Preschool at the Park Open House
Prospective students and their families are invited to the open house to meet Preschool at the Park staff, explore the outdoor playscape, walk through the forest and see the classroom.
- When: January 4 & 5 from 5-6:30 p.m
- Where: 128 Chester Park, 31 W. College St.
Contact:
Director Leslie McFadden
[email protected]
(218) 726-7547
Additional information and applications are available online.