Fayston Early Ed After School

Our Program

The Fayston Early Ed After School Program is generously sponsored by the school’s Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO). The program offers two options: an extended preschool day, running on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 12:30-2:30; and an after school for both preschoolers and kindergarteners on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-5:30. We are located in Fayston Elementary’s Preschool room and often utilize the school’s playgrounds, nature trail, and other outdoor areas. Activities range from outdoor exploration to quiet indoor activities, art, songs, games, and books. Our afternoons are directly connected to what the children enjoy doing and to what they have been doing at school that day.

Our Philosophy

Our program offers an extended preschool day with an easy transition, operating in the same classroom as the daytime preschool. Our goal is for the afternoon to feel like just another part of the day in the same room with familiar routines. The after school program is also a comfortable fit for kindergarteners because of the younger ages, our small size (ten to fifteen children per day), and we are right next door in the room that most of them remember from last year. We are a child-centered, play-based program for young children. It is a safe and peaceful place where children are encouraged to play and explore in their own individual way. Their play is supported by an experienced, patient, and caring staff who build on what the children have been learning while offering new, refreshing activities. We provide the community with this supplementary learning time, and we encourage parent communication to help us meet the needs of families and their children.

Our Staff

Jessica Knoop, Program Director

Working and playing with young children is what I've always loved to do! It is such a privilege to be a part of their lives, and I enjoy learning from them every day. This will be my third year running this after care program here at Fayston School, where I have also worked as an instructional assistant for the past four years, two of which have been as a preschool assistant. In the summertime, I am the co-director of the Warren Summer Camp. Before that, I was the co-owner and director of the the preschool program at Stepping Stones in Waitsfield. I worked for several years at the Waitsfield Children's Center, I’ve been working with children in the valley for over 15 years, and with children in general for almost 20 years. As the director of this program, I work closely with preschool and kindergarten teachers, Rachel Foley and Beth Abbott-Koch, to make sure that the children’s days are seamless and consistent. My philosophy recognizes that young children learn through play and exploration that is led by their own interests, and this is the cornerstone of the program that we offer, providing an environment that is nurturing to each child’s needs and in sync with their daytime school routines. I also enjoy playing the mandolin, which I often bring into the classroom for fun sing-alongs, skiing, hiking, sailing, dancing, and exploring in the forest.

Judy Long, Preschool Assistant and After School Assistant

I am Judy Long. I will be assisting the after school program as well as the preschool this year. I am a long-time resident of Fayston and have a special fondness for our school. This summer I was able to spend time with some Fayston Students I knew as preschoolers and now have graduated college! How rewarding to know I was a positive influence on their lives. I look forward to meeting new families and contributing to this fantastic community. What a great place to raise kids!

Laura Caffry, After School Assistant

Laura Caffry has been volunteering in local schools for nearly 20 years. She studied early childhood education at Skidmore College, but then her career took a different direction. As her younger child prepared to head off to college this year, she took stock and decided to turn her passion as a volunteer in education into her work. She is thrilled to be joining the team at Fayston Elementary. Laura lives in Waitsfield with her partner Steve and her children Charlotte and Walker when they are home on school breaks. Her children attended Spring Hill, Waitsfield Elementary and Harwood Union MS/HS, where Laura served on the school board. Laura enjoys skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, paddling and gardening in Vermont and the Adirondacks.

Contact

If you have any questions about our program or wish to enroll your child, please contact

Program Director Jessica Knoop at jknoop@huusd.org or call the school at 496-3636.