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Welcome to the new home of Lee's Summit Tribune. We are dedicated to providing you the most current and accurate news and events in Lee's Summit
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Picasso Preschool – the SmART Place to Learn Opens Downtown Lee's Summit
September 11, 2010
By Mary Pechar
Photo:
Stephanie Mennemeyer, Owner and Art Teacher at Picasso Preschool proudly shows her students Mondrian works. Students learned about artist Piet Mondrian, who is known for creating geometric paintings using black, white, blue, yellow, and red. Then, little artists created their own Mondrian piece of artwork. Students spend equal time working in the computer lab and learn the needed skill to effortlessly enter kindergarten.
Tribune Photo / Fred Poese
New to Downtown Lee’s Summit is Picasso Preschool located at 8 SE 5th Street. Not only is the school new, but they have added a slightly new twist to early childhood education. Ok, so maybe art education is not new, but as a parent and now grandparent, I have never seen another program with such an emphasis on Art Education. The curriculum is focused on Kindergarten Readiness integrated with an extensive Fine Arts experience.
Their mission is “to provide essential Kindergarten readiness skills supplemented by an unparalleled Fine Arts curriculum to create an experience that helps your child develop academically, physically, socially, and emotionally.”
The class rooms follow the R-7 School District age guidelines, so the Pre-K classroom is for children who turned 4 by the first of August. There is a separate classroom for 2 year olds and 3 year olds. Each age group spends dedicated time learning and experiencing Fine Art and equal time in the Computer Lab. Unique study modules have the students learning where they fit by focusing on Lee’s Summit, then the state of Missouri and then the United States. Then there is the intriguing ‘Night’ module.
Picasso Preschool is the vision and dream of owner Stephanie Mennemeyer who along with her husband Brad and their children are downtown residents. Stephanie has her Master’s Degree in Art Education and holds a Missouri Teaching Certificate. She has taught grades pre-K – 12 for over 10 years.
She believes “that all children deserve love, attention, and nurturing. I believe that a safe environment allows children to explore and grow. At Picasso Preschool, we allow children to have hands-on learning experiences, which foster age-appropriate development. We believe that positive reinforcement is important for children to develop self-esteem. Children need an environment that supports free expression and stimulates learning. Most importantly, however, I believe that children need to have fun!”
Stephanie has found the perfect educator in Director Heather Alvarado. Heather has her degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma and has been working with children in some capacity since she was in 8th grade. “I have worked for the YWCA in their after school program, been a counselor at Dwight Mission Church camp in Oklahoma, been a center director for KinderCare, and a pre-school teacher at LSUMC.” Heather added, “I live in downtown Lee's Summit in a house that is 107years old. I am very excited to be at Picasso Preschool.”
All of the teachers at Picasso either hold an Education Degree or are currently in college working on one. The school offers a variety of schedules and all of the information is available on their website www.picassopreschool.net or call the school at 816.600.2620.
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Two Candidates Filed For Board of Education Tuesday, December 22, 2009
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