Blog – Page 3 – Albany Preschool Cooperative

Kids in the Kitchen

Measuring, cracking, stirring, sharing, pouring, clean-up, waiting – cooking – a tasty learning experience for both you, and your preschooler. By handing off the kitchen spoon to your child, you are introducing them not only to cooking, but to introductory math concepts around measuring, new vocabulary, the science of food changing forms, and so much more. Embrace the mess and watch as your child learns through doing.

We made pumpkin muffins during snack time this week – a perfect recipe for fall, and an easy recipe to bring your preschooler into the kitchen. Yum.

Pumpkin Muffins

-1 1/2 c. sugar
-1 c. oil
-3 eggs
-1 lb can pumpkin
-1 1/2 c. flour
-1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
-1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
-1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp vanilla

Measure all ingredients in a big mixing bowl. Beat together well for 5 minutes. Pour into cupcake pans (fill more than half full). Bake at 400 degrees for 17 – 20 minutes. Recipe from cooks.com.

10.22.15 | Leave a Comment

How to Effectively Read to your Preschooler

Reading is an important part of our day at Albany Preschool. We read about space ships and fire trucks, plants and animals. We read to learn. Reading improves a child’s imagination, vocabulary, attention span, sound structure, and more. When we apply dialogic reading, our preschoolers become active listeners, and reading becomes fun.

Reading

Dialogic reading is simple. It’s about prompting children to be an active part of the story, and works through a series of prompts like this:

Completion prompts: The itsy bitsy spider…what did it do?
Recall prompts: What happened to the spider?
Open-ended prompts: How do you think the spider felt?
Why prompts: Why do you think the spider was climbing up the spout, anyway?
Distancing prompts: When have you been caught in the rain?

Remember CROWD next time you pick up a book, and allow your child to start telling the stories.

04.12.15 | Leave a Comment

Albany Preschool Puts on More than 20 Years of Fantastic Spring Fairs!

This year’s Spring Fair was a huge success! Our families came together to put together another spectacular event for the entire Albany community. There were many happy children and parents, smiling faces painted with beautiful butterflies and super heroes, arms full of new stuffies and prizes won from the many games and amazing egg hunt and lots of people enjoying the wonderful crafts, games and music the Spring Fair offered. The Spring Bunny led everyone in some singing and dancing, earning him lots of smiles and big hugs. The Spring Fairy and her sprites handed out stickers and sprinkled fairy dust around the fair bringing extra joy and magic to the day. The cardboard maze was a huge hit as was the egg hunt! The bake sale was also a favorite stop! We had amazing baked goods such as muffins, scones, tarts, cookies, cupcakes, bagels and fruit cups all donated from our very own families. We also had food from Peter’s Kettle Corn, Jamba Juice, California Pizza Kitchen, Domino’s Pizza and Gioia’s Pizza..

We want thank all the sponsors and organizations that contributed to the Spring Fair. Without such contributions, the Spring Fair would not be so magical.

A huge thank you to:

Peter’s Kettle Corn
Jamba Juice
California Pizza Kitchen
Domino’s Pizza
Gioia’s Pizza
Grocery Outlet, Inc.
Blaisdell’s Business Products
Target
Andronico’s
Safeway
Peralta Middle School

We look forward to seeing everyone again next year at the Albany Preschool Annual Spring Fair!

12.10.14 | 1 Comment

We’re Hunting Dinosuars!

While waiting for our Stone Soup, these three adventurers decided to go on a dinosaur hunt. After much deliberation, they built an elaborate trap.
The trap was very successful. Hunting, building and waiting for their prey was such hard work, they decided to take a break and make dinosaur stew.

They also made coffee to drink while the dinosaurs were stewing.

11.24.14 | Leave a Comment

Why we LOVE sand play!

Most children have a natural attraction to sand play. There is no “right” way to play with sand, so there is no fear of “doing it wrong.” Because it is opened ended, the children decide the direction their play will take. Through this play they satisfy their inner drive to explore their world, thus gaining an understanding of their world.
Through digging, scooping, burying, and planting objects the children strengthen their large muscles and improve their hand – eye coordination.
When, as a group, they establish the story line and individual roles in their play, they strengthen their imaginative play, their sense of empathy and the skill of seeing things through other’s perspectives.
Cooperative play is strengthened by the need to share the tools, negotiate the path the water takes, and compromise if all do not agree.
How can we as parents and teachers help? We help by supplying a rich environment, with plenty of “loose objects”, by asking open-ended questions, such as, “what will happen next?” and standing back and giving them the time and space to explore their ideas.

10.16.14 | Leave a Comment

Albany Preschool Welcomes New Executive Director

Nancy Martling, Executive Director, AM & PM Teacher

Local Coop Expands with the Addition of Nancy Martling –

Oct. 16, 2014, Albany, Calif. – Albany Preschool (APS), a play-based parent cooperative preschool designed to serve as a place where kids play, learn and love school in a nurturing environment, today announced the addition of an executive director, Nancy Martling.

Martling brings 24 years of experience in creating curriculum, teaching, and directing education programs to her new role. She worked at Bright Horizons in Mill Valley leading day-to-day classroom activities and designing and implementing curriculum. Previously, Martling was the Director of Kids Place in Corte Madera, where she worked for 11 years. In this role she was responsible for adapting the school to a Reggio Emilia inspired program, developing summer camp programs, increasing enrichment program offerings, supervising teachers and children, working with families to understand and manage disruptive behaviors, and acting as a liaison between the school and the Unified School District.

She began her career in education with the National Maritime Museum Association in San Francisco, where she worked to enhance and facilitate the education programs to increase the understanding of our nation’s maritime heritage. She then worked with the the Bay Area Discovery Museum where she managed the school and group programs for the hands on educational museum. Martling has a Masters degree in Museum Studies with a focus in elementary outreach and project based education from San Francisco State University.

“I am excited and honored to be joining the community of Albany Preschool,” said Martling. “I love the continuity and longevity of the school, as well as the fact that previous students are now parents and teachers. It is a true testament to the commitment to the families. I am excited to return to a play-based environment. The play-based concept is the ideal way for children to learn and I think the way Albany Preschool is structured is perfect in allowing children to make the choices that are right for them.”

“This decision is a very important one for our school and we are excited to welcome Nancy to our community,” said Carleigh Rochon, vice president of the Board at Albany Preschool. “Her warm and caring demeanor and her extensive experience and knowledge of play-based programs will be a wonderful addition to our school.”

Martling will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of Albany Preschool. She will be hands-on with the students, work to enhance the school’s curriculum and general direction of the program while also working closely with parents and prospective families.
About Albany Preschool
Albany Preschool (APS) is a parent run cooperative in the heart of Albany celebrating it’s 77th year “Powered by Play.” While years have passed since the school’s inception in 1937, the cooperative spirit, strong sense of community, and commitment to play remain the same. At APS, children are treated with respect and direct their own play activities in a rich, varied environment. Professional staff and parents work together to create a child-centered program addressing the varied physical, cognitive, social, and emotional needs of the children. As they explore and manipulate their world in a non-judgmental environment, children gain confidence in their growing abilities. Working together, parents and teachers create a nurturing community of life-long learners and friends. APS offers morning and afternoon programs for children 3 years to Kindergarten age. For more information, visit the school’s web site at www.albanypreschool.org.

05.07.13 | Leave a Comment

Transforming Your Yard to a Native Garden: Community Talk and Home Garden Tour w/ botanist Leslie Zander

Albany Preschool proudly presents: Transforming Your Yard to a Native Garden: Community Talk and Home Garden Tour w/ botanist Leslie Zander

Sunday, June 2, 2013
3:00-4:30 pm
1025 Pomona Avenue (cross street is Marin)

Topics will include converting a yard to native plants, native California plant communities and habitat restoration techniques. Light refreshments will be served.

ABOUT Leslie Zander
Leslie has a degree in botany with an emphasis on systematics. Her botanical career has spanned three decades, focusing on native California plant communities and habitat restoration. She has worked throughout the Sierra Nevada, surveying rare plants, and recently orchestrated the conversion of forty acres of iceplant to native coastal scrub for the Monterey Peninsula Country Club. She is found in her Albany garden most weekends, now, focusing on nurturing her fruits and vegetables.

ABOUT Albany Preschool
Albany Preschool (APS) is a place where kids play, learn and love school. Parents and teachers work together to create a nurturing community of life-long learners and friends. APS’ commitment to parent education and support makes this event possible. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. For more information about this event contact events@albanypreschool.org

03.22.13 | Leave a Comment

2013 Annual Spring Fair!

Be there by 10am to see the Spring Bunny Arrive on an Albany Firetruck! bunny+susy

2013 ALBANY PRESCHOOL SPRING FAIR
Ticket Prices
50 Cents per ticket

SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS:
Egg Hunt – 4 Tickets
Maze – 2 Tickets

GAMES:
1-2 Tickets

FACE PAINTING:
2 Tickets

CRAFTS:
2 Tickets

FOOD:
Baked Goodies – 1 to 3 Tickets
Pizza, Drinks, Sweet Treats – 2 to 6 tickets

TRY A PACKAGE DEAL:

BASIC – $10 (20 tickets)
Gets you egg hunt, slice of pizza, drink and at least 5 games!

DELUXE – $20 (42 tickets, 2 FREE!)
Great starter pack for a family with 2 children!

BONUS – $30 (65 tickets, 5 FREE!)
You can all have lunch and play for hours!

05.09.12 | Leave a Comment

Proclamation in Honor of Albany Preschool’s 75th Anniversary

Joy Knott and current and past board members, Tamara Keller, Corrie Winnacker, and Rochelle Donovan were on hand at the May 7 Albany City Council Meeting to accept the proclamation from Mayor Farid Javendel. Joy accepted the award and noted that about 3000 children have gone through the doors of APS. Mayor Javandel added his own proclamation: “My kids loved going there when they were little. They had these same teachers and were very fond of them.”

Watch the video of the proclamation here.

The Proclamation:

This is a City of Albany proclamation in honor of Albany Preschool’s 75th Anniversary; 75 years of powered by play. Whereas Albany Preschool is a place where kids play, learn and love school. Parents and teachers work together to create a nurturing community of lifelong learners and friends. And whereas Albany Preschool was established in 1937 during the Depression with funds from the Work Progress Administration (WPA), enrolled 15 children when the program began and the Preschool moved to its current location on Masonic ave due to a quick increase in attendance. And whereas the committed teachers had decades of experience nurturing children and their familiies, including the current directors and teachers Tara Gray, Susie Bernos, Cindy Lee and Naghat Nessim, who continue to be a source of guidance comfort and love. And whereas, while years have passed since the School’s start in 1937, the Preschool’s cooperative spirit, strong sense of community, and commitment to play remain the same. And whereas the success of the PreSchool has depended upon staying true to the values of cooperation, community and commitment to play. And whereas the PreSchool depends on 100% participation from families to help run lead and grow the School investing time and resources to foster early childhood education and lifelong learning. And whereas the Albany Preschool is deserving of special recognition for its continued service to generations of preschoolers and their families. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Albany City Council wishes to honor the Albany Preschool’s 75th anniversary, and associated celebration scheduled for Sunday May 20th at the Preschool from 1-4 in the afternoon.

APS75Proclamation

04.01.12 | Leave a Comment

The Spring Fair Must Go On

Spring Showers or in yesterday’s case, a Spring Storm, couldn’t stop the fun! It was a clear reminder that some of the most important life skills — flexibility, adaptability, and cooperation — we start learning in preschool. Yesterday our fearless APS families rolled with it and rocked out another spectacular event. There were so many happy faces painted with beautiful butterflies, heads donning newspaper bonnets, arms full of new beloved stuffies, and big hugs and smiles for the Bunny. The cardboard maze was a huge hit and so was the amped up egg hunt! And the food! We had amazing food from Boffo Cart, Peter’s Kettle Corn, Holy Cow Coffee, and the baked goodies from our very own families.

Thank you to our friends who helped make this event happen: our wonderful alumni volunteers, local Girl Scouts, Teacher Josh, Meyer Sound, Ah-Lan Dance, Realtor Diane Verducci, Holy Cow Coffee, Boffo Cart, Peter’s Kettle Corn, Gioia Pizza, Natures Express, Albany High School Key Club, ECPC, AUSD, and the City of Albany