Dear Early Childhood Parents,

As educators of our youngest learners at BZ, we recognize the importance of partnering with families to build and support our students' social and emotional health.

Children who are socially and emotionally healthy tend to demonstrate, and continue to develop, several important behaviors and skills. And, ultimately, our goal is to send our students to Lower School with the behaviors and skills below established in a foundational way. 

• Are usually in a positive mood 

• Listen and follow directions

• Have close relationships with teachers and peers

• Care about friends and show interest in others

• Recognize, label, and manage their own emotions

• Understand others’ emotions and show empathy

• Express wishes and preferences clearly

• Gain access to ongoing play and group activities

• Are able to play, negotiate, and compromise with others

To support our classroom teachers, our EC students, and their families, we have been fortunate to receive grants that have allowed us to engage a number of consultants and specialists to work with us this school year in a part time capacity.

Kate Granholm, MSW, is our EC Mental Health Consultant. Kate is an Erikson Institute trained social worker who comes to us from JCFS' Virginia Frank Child Development Center.

Julie Herr is a Child Development Specialist consultant and Veronica Garcia is an Educational Therapist. Both are trained in the FloorTime DIR model (a child-centered, play-based approach that can effectively improve a child's communication skills, emotional functioning, and sensory processing abilities). Julie and Veronica will be working in collaboration with our Early Childhood teachers to observe, model, and provide feedback to teachers to optimize classroom engagement. 

To continue to bring families into building these skills, we will be hosting an EC parent education night on Wednesday, May 8th from 7:30-9:00 p.m. to hear from Kate Granholm on Building Community through Social Emotional Learning. Please RSVP HERE. We hope you will join us!

Please contact Lauren El-Mofty, our Director of Student Services, or me if you would like to learn more about any of our consultants or our EC parent education night.

With appreciation for your partnership,

Abby Aloni, Head of Early Childhood