Back to School

Back to School, Back to Building Foundations

There’s something special about the beginning of a new school year. New faces, familiar faces, fresh starts, new questions, and the excitement of all that lies ahead.

At YFO, September marks the beginning of another year of learning and growing—not only for the children we serve, but for our educators and families, too.

15 Years of Partnership with Portland Public Schools

This year marks our 15th year partnering with Portland Public Schools (PPS). YFO is proud to have two PPS classrooms embedded within our early care and education program, creating a partnership that makes a meaningful difference for children and families.

For children, it means continuity of care. For working families, that continuity matters. They don't have to piece together a part-day school schedule with additional care for the rest of the day, or find new arrangements when school is not in session.

Our partnership brings together the strengths of public education and early care and education in a way that supports the whole family.

Fifteen years in, we continue to be grateful for this partnership and for what it makes possible for YFO children and families.

Preparing for a Year of Building Foundations

Across our infant, toddler, preschool and Pre-K classrooms, YFO educators have been preparing for the year ahead with thought, intention and skill.

They have considered the curriculum they will offer, the environments they will create, the materials they will make available, and—just as importantly—themselves as educators.

Because building a classroom isn't simply about arranging furniture and putting materials on shelves. It is about creating an environment where children feel safe, curious, capable and known.

Our educators are thinking about the relationships they will build, the opportunities they will provide, and the ways they will support each individual child as they develop new skills and understand their world.

For our youngest children, foundations may be built through a responsive relationship, a song, a sensory experience or the confidence that comes from knowing a trusted adult will be there.

For older children, foundations may take the form of friendships, language, problem-solving, early literacy and mathematics, creative expression, independence and the growing ability to understand themselves as learners.

The work of early childhood education is, at its heart, the work of building foundations.

And our educators are ready to begin.

As we welcome children and families into a new year at YFO, we are reminded that learning doesn't happen in isolation. It happens through relationships, through play, through carefully prepared environments, through curiosity and through the everyday experiences that help children discover who they are and what they can do.

We're excited for the year ahead—and grateful to the educators, families, partners and community members who help make this work possible.

Here’s to a new year of learning, growing and building strong foundations together.

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