Piedmont Progressive Playschool

We all want our children to receive the best start in life they possibly can. As loving Moms and Dads, we hug them, read to them, play creatively with them, feed them healthy foods, and teach them right from wrong.

And we educate them. From their first breath, they are learning from what we purposely teach and from everything that is happening around them. One of the biggest decisions we make for our children in those early years is where to send them to preschool.

Mary Coppola and Susan Burns are the kind of mom who take that decision very seriously. They met in 2001 when their children were attending the same school. Though it was a long drive, they were willing to make that drive on behalf of their children. And yet, they also shared a dream for similar preschool closer to their homes.

They had a perfect blueprint available in the philosophy developed by Sue Riley, a highly respected educator in Charlotte, NC who also offered her direct guidance to help the school get up and running. All three women agreed that the school should promote freedom of thought and action for young children, and that it should embrace a strong sense of aesthetics.

And Piedmont Progressive Playschool was born.

The school has grown from a single multi-age classroom to a full program for two to five year olds plus some of the most creative summer camps imaginable. Can’t you just picture the fun of Fairy Tales and Dragon Scales? Knights, fair maidens, and castles come together through playing dress up and role playing as well as through art, reading, dance, and music making. Can grown ups come too if we promise to act like kids and allow our inner child out to play?

Or how about Earth and Me which explores our natural world with all fives sense by taking walks in the woods, playing with photography, making art from found objects, tending a garden, watching birds (turtles, bugs, lizards, snails, and frogs), and keeping a nature journal. Sign me up!

And every kid loves to play with food, right? Stir It Up invites little chefs to work together preparing food to share with each other as well as treats of the birds and their furry friends at home. Imagine the fun of imaginary play, art projects, sewing projects, caring for foods growing in the garden, even composting. Yummm!!!!

Though Mary and Susan “retired” in 2005 so they could spend more time with their own children, the school has continued to grow under the leadership of dedicated patents and staff. And that’s just as it should be. Everyone working together to ensue that kids have the best childhood possible, filled with opportunities to learn and play and love.

The motto at Piedmont Progressive Playschool is “Play is Powerful.” Sounds like a motto we could all adopt!

To learn more visit http://www.progressivepreschool.org/index.html