Bellwether  SCHOOL

Join Me at Bellwether!  A Place Where Children Are Known, Loved, and Free to Grow Dear Families, My name is Laura Hoopes, Bellwether’s Director, and I am so glad you are considering preschool at Bellwether for your child and your family. For many years, Bellwether has been a place where children are deeply known, creativity is honored, and learning grows naturally from relationships, play, and joy. I have had the privilege of being both a preschool teacher and co-director here before the school paused for a year, and I am grateful beyond words to be returning as we reopen Bellwether with intention, care, and hope. I began my career as an elementary school teacher, but it was in preschool that I found my true calling. Young children bring an honesty, curiosity, and openness that continually inspires me. In my classroom and in my leadership, I center learning in relationships. Children thrive when they feel safe, seen, and loved. Everything meaningful grows from there. At Bellwether, learning is active and embodied. Children move their bodies, explore outdoors every day, dig in the garden, build, sing, tell stories, paint, and wonder. Art, music, movement, and storytelling are not extras here, they are essential ways children think, express themselves, and make meaning of the world. Through play, children develop the skills they need for kindergarten and beyond: confidence, empathy, persistence, problem-solving, and joy in learning. You can expect calm, predictable classrooms with clear routines and trusted adults. Our teachers are warm, playful, emotionally attuned, and deeply committed to early childhood. I believe wholeheartedly that joyful teachers create happy, secure children, and our classrooms will be filled with laughter, creativity, and care. Bellwether is also a place where kindness is taught, modeled, and practiced every day. We support children in learning how to navigate big feelings, resolve conflicts with compassion, and care for one another and their environment. Emotional safety is foundational here. Our facilities support this work beautifully. With multiple classrooms, generous outdoor space, and a working garden, children have room to move, explore, and follow their curiosity. We are reopening with a commitment to consistency, reliability, and full-day programming that families can count on. Most of all, Bellwether is a community. We see ourselves as partners with families, and it is our hope to build relationships that support your child not just for a year, but for a lifetime. When children leave Bellwether, they leave knowing who they are, how to care for others, and how to approach the world with curiosity and confidence. I warmly invite you to join us for our upcoming open houses (March 7th 10-12 or March 22nd 2:30-4:00), schedule a personal tour (which I offer on most Mondays), or talk on the phone or over video. I hope you’ll reach out with any questions or simply to connect. By filling out our interest form (linked to the right of this note), I will reach out to share more about this special place. I would love to meet you and learn about your child. With warmth and gratitude, Laura Hoopes Bellwether School Director