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Jack and Jill plans fall festival
For almost 50 years, groups of young area children have spent their preschool years at Jack and Jill. Recently, the longtime institution came under new ownership, resulting in a refurbished environment and new curriculum. The community is invited to see the changes and participate in fun activities at the preschool's first fall festival set for Oct. 4.
The festival, which is open to the public, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be a moon bounce and face-painting. Attendees will be able to tour the facility to see its freshly painted rooms filled with new toys and furniture.
“Jack and Jill has been open since 1960, and almost anyone you ask who has been in Warrenton either went to J&J or knows someone who did,” said Kelly Wick, who has a four-year-old who now attends the preschool and a seven-year-old who is a participant in the after-school program. “It's really amazing to see the changes going on,” Wick said.
Not only is the Oct. 4 event an open house, it is also a fundraiser with a bake sale, concession stand and a silent auction. Items up for bidding in the silent auction include child dance lessons, portrait photography, gourmet baskets, and restaurant gift certificates.
Funds from the fall festival are earmarked for the creation of an outdoor classroom at the preschool. Owner Lis Benjelloun saw an unused portion of the playground as a great, safe space for children to use different natural objects for art, science, music, balance and movement.
There are also plans for a garden plot. Not only will children learn about nutrition and the environment, they will have experiences in leadership, team-building and problem-solving.
“The more I got into [learning about the plans for the outdoor classroom], the more intrigued I became, said Wick, who is heading up the new parents' group at the school.
“There are so many studies that show how much better children learn in an outdoor, hands-on environment. The parent group agrees that this is such a fantastic idea and will be doing everything we can to help accomplish this goal,” Wick added.
This added part of the curriculum is only part of what Benjelloun has introduced. She and school director Karen Voth also use such programs as Handwriting Without Tears and I CARE, a social-skills design.
“I CARE teaches children to care about feelings," Benjelloun said. "They learn that they are responsible for what they say and do.”
One of the primary programs in place is Core Knowledge. This program was established by E.D. Hirsh, professor emeritus of The University of Virginia, in 1886. Core Knowledge stresses a sequence for the development of physical, social, emotion, cognitive, language and knowledge skills.
But there is also time, according to Benjelloun, for singing old-fashioned nursery rhymes, reading books, and creating art. All of these programs are emphasized for a smooth transition of preschool students into kindergarten and first grade. The students will go to new schools with portfolios of their work from Jack and Jill.
Currently, there are seven teachers and 62 students. The center has just been approved to expand its enrollment to 89 students. The school is located at 200 Green Street, Warrenton.
E-mail the reporter: afelts@timespapers.com.
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