Field Trip

Thanks to Ethan Wendt, first grader in Ms. Sally Jo's class for taking these wonderful pictures!

Kelly Anderson

Dear Parents,

My name is Kelly Anderson and I am one of the Infant Room teachers. I’m excited about the opportunity to get to know you and the children at The Children’s Hour Academy. I hope to continue learning new things from not only the children, but also from you and my other co-workers.

I recently graduated from Portland State University with a degree in Child and Family Services, prior to that I worked with children from a variety of social settings and ages. It was while working as a nanny for a 23 and 7 month old that I truly found my love to care for younger children.

I feel children start learning from the moment they are born. From establishing regular sleeping and feeding cycles to engaging with others; these are just a few of the things that our infants develop in their time with us. As they grow it is important to keep these consistencies and encourage them to become independent while still having their caregivers available for emotional support.

I would like to thank you for welcoming me into your school. I look forward to being part of the staff and the adventures that lay ahead.

Sincerely,
Kelly Anderson
Infant Teacher

Ayla Brown

Dear Parents and families,
My name is Ayla Brown and I am thrilled to be one of the new additions here at Children's Hour. I could not ask for a more rewarding position than being able to help loving families to take care of their infants. I grew up in Corvallis, Oregon and realized my passion for children throughout high school. I graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.S. in Communication Disorders and Sciences (aka speech/language pathology) which had a strong focus on the development of language in infants and children.
Before working with Children's Hour, I was teaching English to young children in Seoul, Korea. My position at Learning Clubs International Academy strengthened my dedication to the education system and increased my desire to work with children and families. Additionally, I worked with the S.M.A.R.T. (start making a reader today) program at an elementary school in Eugene, Oregon. This was a very rewarding experience as well.
I am delighted to be working at Children's Hour because their child-first philosophy is one I agree with completely. I can't wait to get to know your babies and I look forward to meeting each one of you. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at ayla@childrens-hour.com. See you soon!


Sincerely,

Ayla Brown

Whitney Cale

Hello Parents!

My name is Whitney Cale and I will be Ms. Rita’s co-teacher when Ms. Vita leaves for Mexico December 5th. Her official last working day is November 26. Ms. Patty will write more details about this soon. Please know that while she is gone I will take very good care of your children. I understand that I have big shoes to fill. I know that Vita is a wonderful and loving teacher and that she is adored by everyone. If you should have any questions for me or anything important about your child that I should know, please tell me. I really look forward to meeting each one of you.

To tell you a little bit about myself, I moved here eight years ago from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. I have my MAT (Masters of Arts in Teaching) in ECE (Early Childhood Education), my BA in English and Spanish (though I’ve been out of practice for a while!), and I also hold a certificate in Montessori training.

My background has mainly been in Montessori. I directed and taught at Smockville Montessori in Sherwood from 2002-2006. Then I decided to nanny for a Montessori family for the next two years. I was very hopeful that at the end of my nannying position I would be able to get back into teaching. I am extremely grateful and excited that Children’s Hour Academy is my new home.

I’ve spent several days shadowing Miss Mariola and have gotten to know your children well. Each one of them has a special and unique personality, and I look forward to learning more about them. We are going to have a great time together!

Warmest Regards,

Whitney Cale
(“Miss Whitney”)

Heather DeVoss

Dear Families,

I would like to take a moment to introduce myself to you. My name is Heather DeVoss and I am brand new here at The Children's Hour Academy. I am very excited to be a part of this wonderful team of teachers. I am also very much looking forward to getting to know you.

I have just started my journey in getting my degree in Early Childhood Education. It is a journey that I am enjoying very much. Children are my passion and I love being able to work with them every day. I believe that they are the real teachers in this world. They teach great patience, how to imagine great things, and most importantly they teach how to give and receive unconditional love. I believe children learn best by discovering the world around them, and that it is my job as a teacher to provide them guidance, reassurance, and the belief that they are perfect just as they are.

I have been working with children for as long as I can remember. It is my true calling to get to interact with such great children on a daily basis. I love what I do and I hope to continue this journey as long as it will let me. Once again I am looking forward to meeting you all and I will see you at school.



Sincerely,

Heather DeVoss

Teresa Li

Dear Parents,

My name is Teresa Li. It is with great pride that I am writing this letter as a team member of Children’s Hour Academy to tell you a bit about myself. I truly hope that by the end of this letter, you will feel more comfortable and thus allow me the chance to get to know you and your child better.

I was born and raised in Mainland China till age of 15. I then moved to Palau, which is a beautiful island in Micronesia with my parents. I came to the United States in 2006 and have recently graduated from CCC with an education major. During the past couple years, I have volunteered at elementary schools, helping out with Chinese programs. I have also tutored students ranges from age 6 to 20 on subjects such as Math, Chinese and Biology privately.

If I have to pick one reason to explain why I am here today, I have to choose my dad. Ever since I was little, he started teaching me. Not only how to talk, walk, read and so on, started from an early age he taught me how to be a loving, caring, honest and hard working individual. These are the values I still hold dearly today. I can not even begin to tell you just how much this early education benefited me today and I’m sure for many days to come. I feel that now it is my turn to devote my time, energy and love to help other children.

As the world becomes flatter and smaller, it presents more opportunities for individuals who are bilingual and have a keen understanding about cultural differences. As a native Chinese speaker and with much exposure to various cultures, it is my goal to help my students getting a good and early start on his or her education journey, preparing him or her for the future.

Thanks in advance for your confidence in me and all the staffs at Children’s Hour Academy. I very much look forward to working with you and your child! One last thing, I wish you a WONDERFUL day!

Sincerely,



Teresa Li

Things We Love about The Children's Hour Academy

A while back the teachers asked parents to describe the reasons that they love the Children's Hour Academy so much. Here are their answers:

• One of the things that I love about CHA is the teachers create a loving and enthusiastic environment to help our child learn. He looks forward everyday to see his teachers and friends! Chris Perkins (Mom to Kyler)


• What my husband and I enjoy most about CHA is how happy both of our boys are when we drop them off at school, and when we pick them up. They love to go to school and come home talking about what they've learned. Molly Persigehl (Mom to Will and Jack)

• The level of attention that each child receives is unparallel to other educational environments. Dustin Wienecke (Dad to Jayden and Alex)


• I enjoy having teachers and a principal that lovingly guide my children toward better behavior. Laura Cosgrove (Mom to Melody and Bruce)


• I love the happy people at CHA and how good they are with the kids! Betsy Kraft (Mom to Caroline and Ella)


• What I most enjoy about CHA is your quick email re-cap of the day. I can't always read them right away, but when I get the time I love them! John Kraft (Dad to Caroline and Ella)


• The philosophy, atmosphere and teaching staff at CHA reflect the same values and principles we want for our children. As working parents, the academy is aligned with meeting our needs as a safe and nurturing environment. Better still, we also know first hand the education they receive is unmatched- they benefit from the smaller class size and get personalized attention. Our kids love attending CHA. Julie Jenkins (mom to Abby and Aidan)


• We love CHA because of the special care and attention our children receive while they are there. We know that our children are surrounded by a loving and caring staff as well as a learning environment that encourages them to grow into strong individuals. Melissa Marton (mom to Addy and Caden)

Thank you to everyone who responded!
Krista

Fall Harvest ~ Celebration of Us!

"Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same." ~Francesca Reigler

Recently, this profound quotation had a significant impact on me. With Robin off on her medical sabbatical, I suddenly found myself feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. This past year I have taken several advanced personal development courses. I have encountered obstacles that I never dreamed I could possibly do let alone accomplish. Fear is a real emotion that permeates our souls. As children we experience fear when our cries for comfort are unmet and discouragement seeps in as we validate our perceptions according to our views.

Happiness is an attitude, a conscious perspective. As teachers and parents it is our responsibility to nurture the 'nature' of our children. What is the difference? "Nature, which is also known as heredity, is the genetic code you are born with. It is passed on to you from your parents....” Nurture, this is what we as parents and educators provide to our children by our respectful, attentive, and genuine responses to their social and emotional stages of development. Sometimes these responses are puzzling: our actions do not align with our words. How do we break that cycle of 'mixed messages?’ Perhaps by taking pause before speaking; by a gentle touch and presence; by speaking less and doing more; and, by becoming a students of our children.

Throughout the years as a parent and grandparent, I have made mistakes. I have sent mixed messages and have spoken too much, too quickly and too fearfully. My children would quickly remind me that I was 'nagging' or ‘lecturing.’ But, “I'm the mom, the parent, the educator, the....”

What I have learned from my children and your children that despite all the education, life experiences and research, the greatest act of love and thanksgiving is to appreciate each and every one of them for their 'nature' and 'nurture' them individually as God created beings. As we change our attitude to happiness and appreciation, and enjoy each person as a personification of God's unconditional love and incredible uniqueness, we nurture their soul by being present, free of biases, and our own personal paradigms. We overcome fear with trust and faith! What is the definition of "happiness?” It is a state of well-being and contentment.

We celebrate Fall Harvest; we celebrate happiness, love, and the God given right to be deemed "remarkable!” Blessings, Ms. Patty

Our New Blog

We thought it would be a great venue for communication to host a blog. Staff can communicate with parents; Patty can communicate about upcoming events, what's new at CHA, 'who's' new at CHA, etc. It's a faster means of communication than a newsletter. For those parents who permit us to post pictures, we can do so. Plus, family members can stay current on CHA happenings and contribute.

We've never 'blogged' before so this will be a fun and educational adventure. Even our older students can contribute to our blog bringing our schools together via the web. Have fun blogging and, if you have any suggestions for our blog, please share. Happy Fall. Ms. Patty