Proud to be named “Best Preschool” and “Best Childcare”

By Ettie Zaklos, Preschool of the Arts Founder & Director

At the start of October, the Preschool of the Arts’ team was humbled to learn that we won “Best Preschool” and “Best Childcare” in the 2021 Naples Best of the Best Official Community Choice Awards! This is our 10th year in a row winning this wonderful, local recognition and we are so proud of how our school has raised the bar for excellence in early childhood education in Naples for over a decade.

Achieving this exceptional level of performance as judged by everyday families in our community does not happen by chance. It takes intentional effort to achieve this level of continued success and we are so proud of our staff and teachers who continue their commitment to excellent early childhood education.

As I reflect on the successful first quarter of our 2021-2022 academic year, I feel incredibly grateful and blessed to be in a position to provide early, defi n- ing childhood experiences that set the foundation for a lifetime of learning. The months of September coincided with the Jewish holiday season, and we joyously celebrated with our students, marking special days and learning the importance of celebration for the blessings we have.

October was filled with learning for both our students and parents. Our well-rounded, award-winning program kicked into high gear in the classrooms, and one evening, we welcomed our parent body for an educational and community-building event.

The highlight of the month was our annual Parent Curriculum night, which served to activate and strengthen the unique partnership between our talented school faculty and dedicated parent body.

The theme of the evening was, “Hungry for Knowledge,” as our community explored the idea of an educator’s responsibility to inspire curiosity and the gift we can provide children simply by allowing their imaginations to run free. The wonderful evening of community and learning gave parents new strategies and perspectives on early childhood education, as the staff took a deep dive into our award-winning school’s educational philosophy and how it impacts children every day both in and out of the classroom.

It was exciting to see the high level of participation at this important school event, as parental involvement is essential to promoting the home-school connection that is a pillar of our educational philosophy. More importantly, parent participation throughout the evening helped foster the exchange of ideas between parents and teachers, promoting community-wide learning.

At Preschool of the Arts, we take this role very seriously, as we are guided by our understanding of how young children learn best. Our program offers students the opportunity to develop the building blocks for future success – positive self-image, social skills, language communication and independence. Even at a very young age, children have an infinite potential to absorb knowledge.

Our days are filled with opportunities to learn new skills, concepts and ideas, building on children’s natural curiosity and thirst for learning. Through a dynamic and developmentally appropriate curriculum, we create an atmosphere that invites children to observe, to try new things, to actively participate and to make choices. Art experiences, Little Chefs, yoga, science, imaginative play, gardening and sports foster a culture of wonder and discovery that is shared with friends.

As the fall season continues, our thoughts turn to our annual Thanksgiving performance in November. This year, we look forward to welcoming our community to our annual grand celebration in Cambier Park as we reflect with gratitude on all the blessings in our lives, including the greatest blessing of all – the children!