Community Education - current class catalogs Families - Fall 2017 | Page 13

Site spotlight
Sorteberg Early
Childhood Center
“
On any given day there can be sandbox play,
climbing the dirt pile, balancing and walking across
the tightrope, fishing, a story walk, sitting on eggs
”
in the “eagle’s nest”, wagon rides, watering the
garden, or bug hunts. The options are endless!
- Tracy Knighton, Supervisor at Sorteberg Early Childhood Center
Outdoor classroom
Sorteberg has a fantastic outdoor classroom space. Studies
show that outdoor education and play support emotional,
behavioral and intellectual development. Sorteberg’s
outdoor classroom offers great experiences for children
and families alike. It provides a place for young children to
practice and master their gross motor skills too. They can
move about freely - running, jumping and climbing.
A parent recently shared “My children all love being outside!
Favorite activities were all the creative art projects, water
day, and pushing the toy lawn mowers each week. Also, the
mud kitchen!”
Welcoming atmosphere
Sorteberg’s warm and inviting brick building has welcomed
families for over half a century – first as an elementary school
and now as an early childhood center. Parents often remark
that they are bringing their children back to the classrooms
where they went to elementary school.
Located right off Northdale
Boulevard in Coon Rapids
makes Sorteberg easy to access
for many families. The site
has three classrooms, a great
gym space and, of course, the
outdoor classroom. “We are
really fortunate to have such
an amazing space for families
to explore with their children,”
Knighton says.
Learning and growing outdoors
One of Sorteberg’s most popular classes is
“Open the Door, Let’s Explore.” This class
allows time to explore and discover the
world outside through experiential, hands-
on activities.
The class was developed specifically for
the outdoor classroom – participants are
outdoors every week, year-round, weather-
permitting. A parent participant recently
shared, “I enjoyed the chance to be outside
each day with fun activities that we don’t
necessarily have at home.”
This fall, Sorteberg Early Childhood
Center has:
• Thirteen full semester and mini
ECFE classes.
• Four Playtime sessions.
• Eight preschool classes for children
ages three to five.
“The staff at Sorteberg are passionate
about the importance of outdoor play
and it shows!”, Knighton says. “They are
always thinking about how we can build on
what we have or what other experiences
for learning through play we can provide.
Once families experience a class in our
outdoor classroom, they are quick to enroll
in another class, and usually bring along a
friend or neighbor!”
“
My childeren love
being outside!
- parent
”
www.ahschools.us/ecfe 13