The Open Hearth Afterschool Kids (OHASK) preschool program, located at the Waitsfield School, has been providing supplementary care for Waitsfield and Fayston preschool students since 2021.
Our goals for the program are to provide a safe and fun learning environment for young children, to offer days and hours that coordinate with community needs, and to be the program your child is excited to attend. Your child's experience is central to designing our curriculum and environment.
We work to provide a space and classroom community that is safe, playful, child-led, and nurturing. Social-emotional growth is the cornerstone to any happy classroom community, and it is in everything we do. Each challenge is a growth and learning opportunity, and supporting preschool children requires patience, presence, understanding. A safe space and classroom community starts with being proactive. This means introducing large and small group activities that promote a cooperative classroom climate, communicating with parents, anticipating individual needs, and making sure each child feels seen and supported. Parents are the expert on their child, so our staff are happy to make themselves available for a phone call, email, or in-person meeting. The Open Hearth board, which includes parents and community members, meets once a month, providing the opportunity for anyone to join in the conversation.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact prek program director Jessica Knoop at ohaskpk@gmail.com
Jessica Knoop, OHASK prek director
I’ve been playing with children in the Mad River Valley for over 20 years, directing/leading multiple preschool and summer camp programs, including OHASK prek, Fayston prek afterschool, Warren Camp, Fayston Forest Camp, and Stepping Stones Child Care Center. I also worked as a children’s ski instructor at Mad River Glen for 16 years. I am a Vermont Master Naturalist, and I apply my knowledge to nature-themed activities. I love skiing, hiking, live music, birding, biking, and just about any outdoor activity. I also love spending time with my husband, Dave, and our son, Skylar.
"Learn to play, and play to learn" is my favorite motto, recognizing that children learn best through exploration led by their own interests and inspirations. Preschoolers have the special qualities of turning every time into play time, wearing their hearts on their sleeves, being fully present, and learning naturally from their environment. I love being a facilitator in their play and and learning from them along the way!