February 14, 2022 Vol. 52, No.2
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Grants Awarded | CPPNS Convention in March | PCPI Annual Meeting in April | Travel Grants - Still Time to Apply! | Honor Your Cooperative Colleagues

Greetings, and happy Valentine's day to you!

My heart was filled with happiness over the last week watching the children in my class finding sweet and creative ways to express their love for their friends and family. The unfiltered kindness of children is one of the many things that reminds me that teaching preschool is a privilege.

Early childhood education is a topic in the news frequently for various reasons, usually related to funding, achievement, and lately staffing challenges. This recent NPR article talks about overhauling the early education system entirely. But the last line of the article points to something that we all know: the best way for children to learn is to let them play.

Play-based preschools that involve parents in early education are often thought of as a thing of the past, but they are also the right way for the future. Keep doing what you do!

Cooperatively yours,

Dianne Rose, M.Ed.
Editor, Cooperatively Speaking
pcpinews@preschools.coop
Grants to Fund Outdoor Improvements and Support Recruitment
by Kathy Ems
It is with great pleasure I announce the recipients of the 2022 Cooperative Spirit and Emergency Grants. We had many excellent applications, and it was a difficult decision. Thank you to all who applied.

The Cooperative Spirit Grant was divided among three schools, each of which are improving their outdoor space. All three plan a spring work party with their entire school to make their outside area more usable.

  • Apple House Preschool Cooperative in Indiana recently moved. Their new location had no outside storage space. The CS grant will allow them to purchase a steel storage shed that the membership can assemble and decorate with the children’s handprints

  • Kennedy Heights Montessori Center in Ohio has been using their outdoor space intensively during the pandemic.The grant will allow them to purchase lumber to reinforce outside structures, especially their “nest” play area, and pavers for the middle area that has gotten very muddy from use.

  • Lynn Valley Parent Participation Preschool in British Columbia will use the CS grant money to renew a neglected corner of their playground and provide a more permanent place of shelter as they continue their outdoor program. The work party will clean up this area and use the purchased lumber to build a covered area for rain shelter or shade.

Emergency loans were given to UCNS Preschool in New York and Playful Learning Cooperative Preschool in Washington, as they work to increase enrollment in these pandemic times.

Be thinking about your proposed project for next year’s grants. Applications will be accepted starting in October.
Learning Opportunity Alert!
Even if you're not in Winters, California, you can join the California Council for Parent Participation Nursery Schools (CCPPNS) for their annual convention on Saturday, March 5th. This year they're offering a hybrid virtual and in-person event.
Keynote Speaker Amanda Morgan of https://notjustcute.com/ will discuss intentional interactions with children both at home and in the classroom.

Research consistently tells us that the key factor separating high-quality early education from the rest is the type of interactions in the classroom and at home. That’s because human development happens within the context of human relationships. Amanda will discuss why this is true and outline the simple tools for unlocking powerful interactions with children.

Amanda will also be hosting a breakout session on teaching with intention that is applicable to educators and parents who are looking to provide a fun and meaningful play experience with the notion that simple, focused actions are more important than the fancy toys and Pinterest projects. Learn why intentional teaching is more effective, more responsive, and more enjoyable.

See the CCPPNS convention website for details and registration link.
Get Ready to FLY!
(or drive, or hop on a train)
by Kathy Ems
It’s time to start planning your trip to Portland, Oregon for PCPI’s 2022 Annual Meetings. We promise you’ll have a great time. You will learn so much, have a chance to ask questions, and help guide and support PCPI.

Please join us Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30 for meetings, school visits,the Awards Luncheon celebrating 60+ years, and informal time to network and chat about co-op preschools. Thursday and Sunday are travel days.

What do you need to do to get to the meeting?

  • If you need help with expenses, please apply for a Marika Townshend Travel Grant. (Scroll down for more information.) And ask your school or council for assistance, if possible.

  • You will need to register for the meeting. You can register by mail or online.

  • For those not living in Portland, make hotel and transportation reservations.

  • Plan to bring your Covid 19 vaccination card (photo on your phone is fine) as everyone attending the meetings must be vaccinated. We will be following all safety protocols, so bring masks, too.

It’s time to make that leap and join us! Please do. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Kathy Ems at rkems@comcast.net.

See you in Portland! And bring your swim suit – the hotel has an indoor pool and hot tub.
PCPI Will Help YOU Get to Portland!
by Natalie Hall
Do you need financial help to be able to attend PCPI’s Annual Meeting? 
The Marika Townshend Travel Grants exist to help PCPI members attend the Annual Meeting.

Why should you attend?
Preschool visits, networking and sharing opportunities, meetings to determine the future direction of PCPI, the 60+2 Anniversary Celebration, and making new friends with other co-op preschool advocates will be some of the highlights.

What do the grants cover?
The grants help defray the cost of registration, hotel, food, and transportation. The application is easy to complete. It can also be found on the PCPI website. The application deadline is February 15. Grants will be announced by March 1.

Questions?
Contact Natalie Hall and Vaughn Hatch at travelgrants@preschools.coop.

See YOU in Portland!

Recognize Your Colleagues
by Carole Cordle
Is there a member of your coop community who deserves a special thank you for their contribution to your program? Each year, PCPI is honored to recognize teachers, parents, board members, directors and community supporters for their involvement with and commitment to the preschool cooperative movement. 

The deadline for this years awards nominations is March 1, 2022. The awards criteria and the nomination instructions are available now.
Join Our Google Group
A PCPI Members Google Group has been created to give us another avenue to share ideas and information. This has replaced the Yahoo Group which is no longer active.

Joining is easy!
  1. Click the button below to send an email to PCPINews@preschools.coop.
  2. Use the subject line: Add to Google Group.
  3. Include your first and last name, your school and/or council name, and the email address you'd like to have added. (If there are multiple people in your school who should be added to the group, you are welcome to include all of their information in one email.)

Group members will receive a daily digest of messages exchanged. Message threads will be grouped by topic for easy searching later. Spread the word!