“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – William Butler Yeats
Our emphasis at Mount Baker Preschool is on the whole child: Body, Mind and Soul.
We are committed to developing the creative, nurturing, and cognitive capabilities of our students. Mount Baker is a member of the Waldorf Early Education Association of North America.
In our daily schedule and interactions, Mount Baker Preschool strives to nurture:
- Love and warmth
- Free, imaginative play
- Care for the environment and awareness of our interaction with the world around us
- Gratitude, reverence and wonder
As a cooperative, the teachers design and implement the curriculum, and parents work to support them in creating an environment where our children are free to learn, explore, and play safely. We believe young children learn best when they are given the opportunity to play freely, explore, and direct their own learning. The classroom is intended to resemble a home with an emphasis on natural materials, the smells of grains cooking in the kitchen, and a large communal table for sharing meals. Our day at school flows with a predictable rhythm and alternates between periods of free play (outdoor and indoor) and coming together to share a meal, join in circle time, or gathering at the art table for a quiet project. Working parents and the teachers provide a general structure, model empathy, assist with transitions, aid in conflict resolution, and provide a nurturing environment.
ACTIVITIES
Outside Play:
- Physical activity including climbing, jumping, swinging, splashing in puddles, running, and digging
- Daily walks, and adventures in our local community
- Gardening
Inside Play:
- Circle time with songs, games and poetry
- Oral storytelling and puppetry
- Drawing, painting, sewing, finger-knitting, and crafts
- Preparing wholesome snacks and baking bread
Community and Family Events::
Seasonal celebrations including pumpkin patch, Bradner Gardens Halloween party, lantern walk, winter spiral, kite day, and maypole dance
HISTORY
Mount Baker Preschool has existed as a cooperative since the early 1980s, and the school was transformed into a Waldorf-cooperative in 2009, thanks to years of hard work and dedication of former teachers Heidi Jeferson-Gloor and Violetta Wilson. Mount Baker Preschool is proud to be the first official Waldorf cooperative in the United States. In 2019-20 Angie Rosnick and Carolyn Pugh took over as joint lead teachers, and Carolyn Pugh became the lead teacher in 2021.