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Recent professional development

Vicki Stoecklin, our Education and Child Development Director, attended the 8th Annual Summer Conference at Boulder Journey School, a private preschool that welcomes more than 300 children and their families. The conference was called The Environment -- A Vital Aspect of the Learning Process. Sessions included how the environment supports identity, relationships, role play and literacy. The environment at the Boulder Journey School is influenced by the Reggio Emilia schools of Italy. The physical space consists of classrooms, a studio and a theater that are filled with collections of natural materials gathered by families and faculty. The environments are carefully created and are the best examples of how natural materials and neutral colors can lend a calming effect to the early childhood setting.

The school grounds include a garden of indigenous plants, a water flume that mirrors the Boulder Creek, a model of the Pearl Street Mall constructed by the children, a rock-climbing wall, a replica of the Dushanbe Tea House and flagstone pathways through outdoor learning spaces.

The school is a gathering place for children, families, members of the community and educators from around the world. The school has professional relationships with the Colorado Department of Education, the University of Colorado, Boulder Community Hospital, Sun Microsystems, Bright Horizons Family Solutions, and the Colorado Foundation for Families and Children. For additional information about the school or to find out more about the Summer Conferences and Study Tours, go to the website at www.boulderjourneyschool.com.

Vicki also attended the Safety School, August 8-11, at the National Program for Playground Safety at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She joined a group of colleagues across the U.S. in receiving The Safe Playground Certification. The comprehensive four-day course covered playground safety and supervision. For more information about the course or for playground safety information, go to www.uni.edu/playground/home.htm.

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