Please come out to the OVUU School Board Meeting on Wednesday 9/20 at Lothrop School at 6pm and show your support or voice your opinion about the fate of Caverly Preschool.
The Otter Valley Unified Union School Board (OVUU) is set to decide whether to continue the Caverly Preschool program at its current location on Caverly Road behind the town offices, or to move the program to Lothrop Elementary School. The benefits of continuing the preschool program at Caverly’s current location far outweigh the costs.
It has been repeatedly shown that the unstructured, natural play area found at Caverly, and within the program’s fabric, has a tremendous impact on health, wellness, and cognitive development.
•“Children who regularly have positive personal experiences with the natural world show more advanced motor fitness, including coordination, balance and agility.” (Grahn, 1997, Fjortoft 2001)
•“Preschool children seem to have highest physical activity levels while engaged in play outdoors.” (Burdette & Whitaker, 2005)
•“While playing outdoors a child is likely to encounter opportunities for decision making that stimulate problem solving and creative thinking because outdoor spaces are often more varied and less structured than indoor spaces.” (Burdette & Whitaker, 2005)
It is imperative that we provide the best possible experience for our children. It is understandable that costs are a consideration for this decision, however a price tag cannot be placed on the wellbeing of the children in our community, especially when it is not placed in a broader context of needs for the entire school system.
A move to Lothrop would not only remove access to such a perfect natural play area, it would place 3 and 4-year old children in an uncomfortable, and potentially dangerous environment with children far older. Please come show your support and urge that a decision is made only when all facts, details, and information is available.
Help keep the magic of Caverly alive for our children. In keeping with the values and tradition of our community, we hope you will encourage OVUU School Board to vote to keep the Caverly program on Caverly Rd, where kids can flourish to their full potential.
References
Burdette, Hillary L., M.D., M.S.; and Robert C. Whitaker, M.D, M.P.H. “Resurrecting Free Play in Young Children: Looking Beyond Fitness and Fatness to Attention, Affiliation and Affect.” © 2005. American Medical Association.
Fjortoft, Ingunn. “The Natural Environment as a Playground for Children: The Impact of Outdoor Play Activities in Pre-Primary School Children.” 2001. Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 29, No. 2.
Grahn, P., Martensson, F., Lindblad, B., Nilsson, P., & Ekman, A. (1997). UTE PA˚ DAGIS. Stad & Land nr. 45. Alnarp: Movium, Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet.