HOME AWAY FROM HOME - St. Joachim’s Extended Daycare

HOME AWAY FROM HOME – St. Joachim’s Extended Daycare

Saying Good-Bye For The Summer

Costa Mesa, June 16, 2009 - Summer is here and school is over! St Joachim Parish School of Costa Mesa is getting ready for the long summer break. For many children this means not only saying good bye to their school mates but also their friends at St. Joachim Extended Daycare.

St. Joachim’s Extended Daycare is not an ordinary daycare. It is a hidden treasure. Located behind the official school building, safely away from the street, it even features a little garden and playground. Here the children spend their afternoons planting their own vegetable and fruits and learn also how to take care of them. They organize and plan tea parties, put on their own theater plays and create even the props for it. This all with the help of engaging Debbie Barber, an early childhood teacher for 30 years and St. Joachim’s Daycare director. Together with her team she is restlessly thinking of new ideas to capture the imagination and attention of the children in her care: “The children love to be trusted with responsibility and we take them seriously and hear their wishes.”

Just last week the daycare group of Pre-Kindergarteners and Kindergarteners put on the play “The Cat In The Hat”. The idea for the play was born after Ms. Debbie had read the book to the children during library time, an essential daily part of the afternoon daycare curriculum. The kids urged her afterwards to help them make a play out of it and Ms. Debbie, also a former producer of children’s musicals, didn’t need much convincing. She started right away planning the play and making the props together with “her” kids, as she fondly calls them. The result was amazingly engaged young children playing their parts with shiny eyes. “It surprises me always again and again to see what children, even that young of age, can produce if they are being allowed to be seriously involved in the whole process.” And taking a short glance at her kids happily at play, she continues, “They feel that they can have an impact on the end result and love to take on responsibility. It’s an incredible booster for their self esteem. “

Parents love the concept of St. Joachim Extended Daycare as they can rest assured that their youngsters are happily occupied with engaging and fun projects. As one mother puts it, “It just puts me at peace to know that while I am at work, my daughter is never bored but in fact busy with projects that nurture her mind and self-confidence.”

A little boy is about to leave and gives Ms. Debbie a big hug, picks one strawberry from the garden and takes a last look at his pumpkin plant that he had planted in Ms. Debbie’s garden a while ago. On his return in September he will see it carrying a little orange pumpkin. As he leaves, he shouts “I will be back soon and then I ‘ll have my own big pumpkin ready for Halloween…”

St. Joachim Extended Day Care is open to all students enrolled at St. Joachim School from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM for an extra charge. The extended daycare offers a great balance between free play and projects with an emerging curriculum. Children have specific times set aside for homework, quiet reading time and developmental play. Fridays are the beloved fun days featuring a movie with “movie tickets” and popcorn.

St. Joachim Parish School is located on1964 Orange Avenue in Costa Mesa, CA 92627. To schedule a tour of the school and its extended daycare please call (949)574 7411. The school office will be open from 9:00 AM -5:00 PM each day until July 3rd and will then be closed until August 3rd. Extended daycare will be closed for the summer and re-open on September 1st. To get more information on St. Joachim school please log on to https://www.stjoachimparishschool.com/