Red Lake Nation News - Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)

Plymouth, Minnesota (May 31, 2013) – Young learners are becoming high achievers thanks to the curriculum of a Plymouth childcare center. At Lil Newton’s Nest, children ages six weeks through kindergarten are engaged in full-day learning that has provided significant positive outcomes for children and parents. Long before the Minnesota legislature approved plans that mandate all-day kindergarten in all public schools starting in the fall of 2014, Lil Newton’s Nest has been offering this important extended learning for more than two years.

The center, which has offered a holistic approach to early childhood education since its inception in 2009, answered a need of parents eager to enroll their young students in full day kindergarten that was either unavailable or too expensive for them at their local public school. Before the recently adopted mandate to provide full day kindergarten to every child in the state, many districts had limited availability or charged parents for the service. Now at the end of its second full year of all-day kindergarten, Lil Newton’s Nest is ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing and succeeding at providing all day educational opportunities for all young learners.

Today, Lil Newton’s Nest will honor a record 39 preschool and kindergarten graduates. “We have tripled our enrollment in these programs since we began offering these services,” said center director Alyssa McGregor.

Today's event at a Glance

What; Lil Newton’s Nest Commencement – Class of 2013 Graduation

When: Ceremony goes 4:00pm to 5:00pm - Students speak in 5 languages

Where; 12325 Hwy 55 Plymouth, MN 55441 (School Gymnasium)

What separates the curriculum at Lil Newton’s Nest to that of other all-day environments is the emphasis put on world languages. By the time students finish their academic program at the center they will have been taught the basics of five important languages. By introducing students to French, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin and American Sign Language the center is preparing young learners for life in a global economy. “Our teachings meet and exceed what the state requires,” said McGregor. “In addition, we can offer our students the opportunity to learn these languages that will help them succeed later in the academic careers. Having this head start is proving to be invaluable in a world where knowledge knows no geographical boundaries.”

Parents believe that the education their children receive at Lil Newton’s Nest is readying them for life after kindergarten. “My daughter Danielle attended LNN for two years prior to kindergarten. I am still seeing her use the tools she learned in preschool to help her learn today,” said parent Shanna Krider. “The teachers at LNN helped make the transition to kindergarten and beyond seamless for my daughter. She still uses the words and phrases she learned in French and can’t wait until she can build upon those skills further in elementary school.”

While graduation day is bittersweet for McGregor and her staff, she remains steadfast in her support for providing young minds with enhanced learning opportunities. “These children come to us eager to learn and they leave knowing so much more than the average student,” she said. “It’s hard to say what the impact of state-mandated all-day kindergarten will be on our center, but we will continue to provide a safe and stimulating environment for our students so that they are ready for the next step in their education. We are open for registration and space is filling up briskly for next school year.”

About Lil Newton’s Nest.:

Located in Plymouth, MN, Lil Newton’s Nest provides childcare rich with education to children six weeks through kindergarten. Driven by a desire to give children a quality preschool and kindergarten experience, Lil Newton’s teachers- all of whom have college degrees- integrate five languages (Spanish, French, Mandarin, Italian and American Sign Language), encyclopedia knowledge, art, dance, music, reading, yoga, math and science into everyday childcare experiences. For more go to; http://www.LNNest.com.

In 2012 Lil Newton’s Nest was selected for the Best of Minneapolis Award in the Preschool category by the Minneapolis Award Program. Each year the Minneapolis Award Program identifies companies that have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community. These award winners make the Minneapolis area a great place to live, work and play. For more information or to interview Lil Newton’s Nest director Alyssa McGregor, please contact media liaison Robb Leer at 612.701.0608 or robbl@leercommunication.com.