Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter
Last Wednesday afternoon, over 120 children and parents converged on Parkside Preschool (207 E. First St.) and the Parkside School Age Program/4K Center (105 E. First St.) for the center’s 7th annual “End of Summer Family Picnic.”
Along with fresh hot dogs with all the fixins’ were opportunities for outside playtime between the Parkside students, family and friends.
As center director Paula Koelsch explains, the celebration is just one example of ongoing efforts for the center, in bringing students and families together in the environment of a child’s daily routine.
“We have been holding our Annual End of the Summer Family Picnic since August of 2011. This picnic affords families with the opportunity to spend quality social time with their child in his/her daily preschool childcare routine, as well as interact with other families and program staff. At Parkside our program philosophy is based upon the belief that each child comes to us as part of a unit and in order to understand the child, we must embrace, support and understand her/his family,” she explains. “We make a conscientious effort to connect with families by providing events and participation opportunities within the program, that make them feel welcome and familiar with their child’s early care and education environment.”