080724_2024-25_SchoolGuide

Y E L LOW S P R I N G S N EWS 2 O 2 4 – 2 5 S C HOO L G U I D E | 9 800 Livermore St.; 937-230-8684: CONTACT: Nicole Gay, nicole@ openairvillage.com ; openairvillage.com Open Air Village is a privately owned, ODJFS-licensed child care facility for chil- dren ages 3–10. Located on Antioch Col- lege’s historic campus, children learn natu- rally through play in an “open air,” outdoor classroom. The center also has beautiful indoor spaces for children to rest and play in the winter months. Founded in September of 2020, villag- ers Nicole and Bryan Gay responded to the community’s need as working parents were struggling to find childcare. From their initial year of opening with a “pod” of only 13 students, the center now has two early child- hood classes, one after school group, and an infant-toddler class for musical enrichment. OAV is proud to be embarking on its fifth year of operations in Yellow Springs. The mission of Open Air Village is to provide a respectful and nurturing environ- ment for the developing child. The center’s programs are designed to encourage each child’s growth by being in tune with their social, emotional, physical and educational interests. With a Reggio Emilia-inspired vision, Open Air Village aims to treat its environment as a child’s “third teacher,” putting careful thought into the space in which learning evolves and takes place. Open Air Village’s core values are: • respecting children, • embracing diversity, • community involvement, and • nature education. PROGRAMS Nature-based preschool, ages 3–4 Open Air Village’s youngest students learn naturally through play in an “open air,” outdoor classroom. Children enjoy a daily rhythm filled with music, literature, big body play and sensory art. Qualified Early Childhood teachers facilitate a unique child-led environment where students are able to pursue their interests while meeting developmentally appropriate standards. In nature preschool, we believe “there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear.” Students learn to dress appropriately for walking adventures in all seasons to dis- cover the lessons nature provides. Wonder Garden, age 5 Children who are eligible for kindergarten may supplement a homeschool curriculum or enjoy another year of childhood before entering formal schooling in “Wonder Garden.” Children will learn and grow as they form friendships in a play-based setting. In Wonder Garden, the educational cur- riculum is child-led, with an emphasis on nature-based studies, connections to litera- ture and a Montessori-inspired approach to mathematics. A large part of the focus at Open Air Village is meaningful community involvement for the young villagers. Wonder Gardeners take frequent walking field trips to Glen Helen, Antioch farm, and the YS Library. Village Kids, ages 5–10 Village Kids is an after-school opportu- nity for young villagers to meet safely and enjoy authentic relationships within our community. The program features walk- ing field trips around the village of Yellow Springs as well as outdoor recreation in our play yard. OAV also offers an indoor, sensory- friendly atmosphere for completing school work, with caring educators on hand to provide encouragement. Music Play, infants and children 0–3 Open Air Education has partnered with Nancy Lineburgh, Ph.D., an experienced music teacher who specializes in early childhood music instruction. She holds a Ph.D. in Music Education from Kent State University and has taught music to stu- dents from birth through college. “Music Play” is a guided playtime for young children that focuses on music. A skill- ful “Music Play” instructor weaves a variety of short, yet rich, songs and chants to musi- cally “bathe” children in music, the same way children are “bathed” in language. Music Play classes are held on Saturdays at 10 a.m. at Open Air Village. Spots are lim- ited to a maximum of 8 children per class. Parent Groups are held on the first Sunday of the month, 10 a.m.–noon Join us for coffee, meaningful discussion, and community building. Village parents are welcome to attend as we talk through the trials and triumphs of parenting young children. Childcare is free for OAV families. CALENDAR AUG 30 Welcome Night, 5–7 p.m. SEP 3 Fall term begins 10 Parent group, 10 a.m. OCT 5 Family Fall Fest 12 OAV at Street Fair 13 Parent group, 10 a.m. NOV 10 Parent group, 10 a.m. | OPEN AIR VILLAGE CALZONES•BREAD STICKS PASTA•WINGS •HOAGIES • HAND-TOSSED & THIN CRUST PIZZA• SALADS • GYROS • BENT I NO’S DINE-IN, DELIVERY & CARRY OUT Sun.–Tue.: 4–9 p.m.; Wed.–Sat: 11a.m.– 9p.m. 107½ Xenia Ave. 937-767-2500 BENT I NO’S Pizza o f Y e l l o w S p r i n g s Products & Services for ALL Your Financial Needs! Become A Member Today! 217 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs, OH 45387 800.434.7300 • www.bridgecu.org Your Community Member Owned Credit Union! YELLOW SPRINGS NEWS ysnews.com/subscribe • 937-767-7373 • circulation@ysnews.com LEARN SOMETHING Subscribe to the News.