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Groton
Community School, Inc. |
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Children Are Like Kites... I see children as kites.
You
spend a lifetime trying to get them off the ground...
Finally they are airborne. And with each twist of the ball of twine, there is a sadness that goes with the joy because the kite becomes more distant -- and somehow -- you know it won't be long before that beautiful creature will snap the lifeline that bound you together and soar as it was meant to soar -- Free and alone! Only then do you know you did your job! ...Erma Bombeck
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Celebrate with Groton Community School and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)! April 13 - 19, 2008 Each year the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) promotes the Week of the Young Child to honor young children and all those who make a difference in young children’s lives.
At Groton Community School we celebrate this week annually with special classroom and school-wide activities. See our children's "Kite Artwork" displays around our local communities this year! The statement below reflects how important the "community" is for young children...
THE CHILD IN THE COMMUNITY “As the circle of a child’s experience expands from family to school to community, so does awareness of self and others.” Activities outside the family, such as playgroups and preschool, broaden children’s horizons, widening their social and emotional encounters. “Excursions to the playground or library offer new and exciting opportunities as well as challenges. Feelings of attachment to a neighborhood or local landscape develop. Whether new or familiar, communities can be places that nurture cultural identity, diversity, responsibility, adventure, and a sense of belonging.” As children find places in their community that lend themselves to these possibilities, their ties and interest deepen. As such, a child’s community involvement begins to build the foundation for citizenship and belonging. A child’s journey is a community staircase, local to global. Those steps, one-by-one, from family to schools and to area towns, have a significant impact on a child. Children are continually learning and modeling from peers and adults. Events and experiences in this context begin to shape a child’s character. The continuance of the steps along this pathway takes a child beyond local reaches to their state and country. Our world is becoming smaller, with it’s rich diversity and varied opportunities. When these cumulative experiences are nurturing and interesting to a child, they are helping to build future citizens and members of our world community with the roots of goodness and the wings of responsibility. Community comes full circle. What can your child find in the community? Something that inspires a smile, a curious question, or a sense of wonder certainly reflects the importance that community provides. Whether it is the Library, Post Office, or other venue, the step from family to school to community is an important part of a child’s development. At Groton Community School we embrace the family, and open the doors to the community. It is purposeful that “Community” is our middle name. Our responsibility and passion is to foster a sense of belonging in the classroom and at school. We strive to be an important link from nest to flight.
Written by Jennie Fitzkee, Head Teacher, Groton Community School with inspiration and quotations from the Eric Carle Museum Staff April 2008
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