Clapboardtree Students Kick off Annual Mitten Drive

Students at the Clapboardtree Nursery School helped put up the Mitten Tree last week, which will be the center piece of their annual Mitten Drive, running through Jan. 10, 2012.   

Clapboardtree has collected mittens for various charities for more than 15 years. The mittens collected this year will be donated to the local chapter of Cradles to Crayons, a non-profit with the mission to provide children ages 0-12 some of the most important basics of life, including clothing, school supplies, toys and more.

Mrs. Gleason, one of Clapboardtree’s Lead Teachers, described the Mitten Drive as follows:

The children decorate the mitten letter to go home to parents requesting their participation. We ask each child to help with chores at home to "earn" their mittens, instead of asking their parent to just go out and buy them. 

Some of the ways the children earn mittens include cleaning up their bedrooms, setting and clearing the table, making their beds, sorting laundry and raking leaves. We have had complete participation in our class most years, with some children working towards multiple pairs. When a student brings in their mittens, they tell their classmates during Circle Time what they did to earn them before adding them to our Mitten Tree. We also discuss why we want to help others less fortunate than us.

One parent said of the drive, “I’m very happy to see the lesson of giving and service, especially at this time of year, integrated into the school’s curriculum in a way that is tangible and meaningful for my 4-year-old son.”

Friends and families are invited to donate new children’s mittens to the drive. You can bring your mittens to one of Clapboardtree’s two upcoming open houses: 

• Friday, December 2, 12:00 pm -1:30 pm
• Saturday, January 7, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm

At these open houses, to be held at the school located at 340 Clapboardtree St., all are welcome to explore the school's classrooms and playground and to meet Kris Blue, the director of the nursery school as well as the well tenured staff of teachers. 

Clapboardtree Nursery School believes in an early childhood experience rich with language, social, cognitive and motor opportunities. The school strives to create a secure environment which supports the individual growth of each child.  

Clapboardtree has its own literacy specialist on staff full-time, who regularly works with small groups of students and provides information on early and pre-reading skills to parents. Additionally, various enrichment programs are offered throughout the year, including specialists in music, movement and science. Regular visits from the local librarian make story time extra special. 

Clapboardtree Nursery School meets Monday-Thursday offering both morning and afternoon classes.  Morning classes begin at 8:30 with both three and four-hour options; afternoon classes meet from 11:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. 

For the 2012-2013 school year, Clapboardtree will be offering a new extended school year with classes now meeting through June 6, 2013. 

Registration forms will be available during the Open Houses.  To be eligible to attend these programs children must be four years old by September 1st of the year in which they enter this program and may not turn six before May 1 of the year of enrollment.

Established in 1972, Clapboardtree was the first preschool in Westwood.  In 1994, Clapboardtree was the first preschool in Westwood to be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  To learn more about Clapboardtree Nursery School, please visithttp://www.clapboardtree.com or call 781-326-5405.