New Preschool Answers the Question: Who are the People in Your Neighborhood?

SARATOGA SPRINGS — At the new Community Roots School on Beekman Street, they teach preschoolers a sense of community by connecting with it. Founded this year by Kristin Marshall and Jenna Eddy, the curriculum incorporates play-based learning and kindergarten preparation with real-life experiences. “We do not use the word “empathy” because it is a word they do not understand. We tell them everyone has different struggles, everyone is different. If you help other people, other people will help you in return – it’s a mutual kindness,” said Marshall. This is the discussion they have when they’re putting on their jackets to go to the park to play, but also something they feel first-hand when the class visits the shelter nearby twice-a-month. The school was formed with the help of a GoFundMe campaign that raised $7,580 for start-up fees and supplies. Teaching together locally even before opening the new school, their multi-faceted approach has successfully prepared children both academically and socially for public school. It combines active outside time, trips, and classroom exploration with time to sit, focus, and be still, whether looking at a book on their own, or with the guidance of a yoga teacher that comes in once a week. Monthly trips to the Division Street Elementary School familiarize the children with the public school setting they will be entering into. Other field trips have included making challah bread at the Temple Sinai, and to a textile studio to see how fabric is made on a loom. “We really try to stay out of it when we take them places. The kids engage on their own. At this age, they’re learning how to be little human beings,” said Marshall. Knowing their neighbors helps the children become comfortable in the community, overcome shyness, the importance of manners, and how to safely navigate in their environment. There are two adults looking after the ten children, with a third adult to supervise when outings involve taking public transportation. They are equipped with first-aid supplies and emergency contact information. “They love sitting, riding, and looking out the window on the bus,” said Eddy. If a behavioral issue occurs, talking it out is often accompanied with acting it out. The teachers perform a playback for the child, engaging in role-play to practice how to avoid conflicts, said Eddy. Daily communication sheets for parents share the child’s specific activities, including what they ate from tasting time and from the lunches provided by the Beekman St. Café. Implementing innovative education at the Community Roots School means offering it at a comparable price: approximately $60/day. They currently have a rolling registration deadline and are willing to work with families for scheduling and school tours. Community Roots School Summer Camp is open to 3-to-5-year-olds and plans to include lots of outside time; gardening in the backyard, and trips to the sprinkler park. “We’re just going to have a lot of fun.” For more information go to https://www.communityrootschool.com/