Welcome to Our Partners Classroom
Our mixed-age class sets the stage for your child to grow within supportive and loving atmosphere, open to many new and interesting ideas. Children make the greatest gains when parents and professionals work together as partners. You, as parents and guardians, are a most important part of the learning triangle of child, parents and educators. We are honored to become your partners.
Shady Lane Philosophy
In the Partners Class, we provide your child with a learning experience that fosters social, emotional, intellectual and physical development, while cherishing individual differences. Using the "partnership" approach, we encourage our older, more experienced children to mentor younger children. Together, our class will be asking many questions and exploring a wide variety of answers.
Daily Schedule
The Partners Class schedule includes an "open classroom" Discovery Time that invites children to explore art, construction, science, drama and sensory experiences. Small Group activities enhance readiness skills, preparing children in our class who will be attending Kindergarten in the fall. Circle Time offers stories and songs, and time to discuss issues that have come up during the morning. During the afternoons, children have the opportunity to work on individual or group explorations.
Partners Classroom Team
The Partners Classroom Team includes Co-Lead Educators Amy Linder and Emily Romigh and Educator Kara Kennedy. Kara has been at Shady Lane since October 2009, and served as an Educator in Young Fours in 2008-09 and both Older Fours and Partners in 2009-10. Prior to coming to Shady Lane, Kara had both formal and informal experience working with children, and currently she is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education at Point Park University.
About the Co-Lead Educators
Amy Linder graduated from Clarion University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education in 1992. Since then, Amy has been teaching in numerous schools throughout Pittsburgh. She served as the Lead Educator in Older Fours from 2001 through the 2008-09 year. Amy joined the Partners Class as Co-Lead Educator in September 2009.
Emily Romigh earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio in June 2009. She also holds a holds a Pennsylvania Professional Early Childhood Certificate. Emily joined Shady Lane as a Substitute Educator in 2010, and became a regular member of the MAC team beginning in early 2011. Emily was made a Co-Lead Educator in the Partners Class in September 2011.
We look forward to sharing a special time with your family.
