Hello Highlands Community!

We hope everyone is enjoying their summer! We love summer months because we get to spend a lot of time outside! All classrooms have been enjoying ample amounts of sunshine and fun out on the playgrounds. Being outside is such an important part of a child’s development at this age. They get to explore and experience so much, and it gives them so many different sensory experiences. Many of our children love to take their shoes off and feel the different surfaces under their feet. Being shoeless, especially with our age groups, encourages a more natural gate and helps strengthen and build the muscles in the feet. It also helps with balance and development with babies and toddlers. We love to bring the same activities that we do inside, out to our playground to encourage friends to get some fresh air while working on their developmental skills like cognitive, fine motor, math, etc. Our kiddos are busy little bees, and some children engage in more activities when they are outside, so providing a variety of experiences boosts their exploration and creativity that we may not see when they are inside. We are fortunate enough to have an outdoor environment that helps support all this learning!

On another note, I wanted to announce that I will be leaving my position as Director here at the EEC. My family and I are moving out of state and my last day will be August 29th. Highlands has been my home for 7 years and I have loved every minute of working here. The support from this community is incredible and I have been so lucky to have been a part of the many families lives I have served over the years. I so am proud of all the hard work and dedication that these teachers put into the center every day and have learned so much from them. I will miss everyone dearly but am committed to assisting with hiring a new Director who will lead this amazing team and support the community we have built. Thank you for all the support over the years and I wish you all the best!

Warmly,

Kristen Lein and Your EEC Team