What’s happening at Good Morning Creative Arts and Preschool

By Lauren Weber

Programs at Good Morning

What an amazing summer! Back in the spring, we were wondering whether there would be an appetite for in-person camps after such a challenging school year. But we also knew that what children needed most was a chance to be with friends in a safe and caring space with support from creative, experienced educators. Not only did the weeks fill up, we also had to add extra spaces and ended up with a waitlist because children wanted to return for more!

For decades, Good Morning Creative Arts and Preschool has been a warm and welcoming part of the community, offering programs for toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children. After the mandated closures in 2020, the centre cautiously reopened last fall, starting only with the preschool class. As everyone became more comfortable with the safety protocols, we reopened the wonderful Storyscapes program in the winter. As a licenced childcare centre, we were permitted to stay open through the whole school year, even as schools had to close and move online.

This fall, we are thrilled to be able to reopen our full slate of programs!

• Toddlers on Tuesday and Thursdays 9–11:30 a.m.
• Preschool & Beyond on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for mornings 9–11:30 a.m., half days 9 a.m.–1 p.m. (lunch club) or full days 9 a.m.–3 p.m. (extended day)
• Storyscapes on Tuesdays and Thursdays 12 p.m.–3 p.m. (lunch club) or 1 p.m.–3 p.m. (program only)
• Creative Arts After School on Mondays to Fridays from school pickup 5:30 pm or drop off at 4 p.m.

**New** Note that we now offer a “full school day” option for Preschool & Beyond from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and our After School program is now offered five days a week!

At the time of writing this article, spots are still available in all programs. We look forward to welcoming friends, both new and old, to the Good Morning community.

Good Morning Educators

Karen Cameron has been teaching at Good Morning since 2000 and has been the director since 2010. It is so heartwarming every time older alumni (some are in their 20s now!) stop to chat with her or smile and wave through the window as they pass by. Several have returned to work here over the years at this “second home” of their childhood. Cameron will be teaching the Toddlers and Preschool & Beyond as well as the weekly Virtual Art Classes on Thursdays at 5 p.m.

I was first introduced to Good Morning when my sister enrolled her three children in the various programs. Every spring, the school hosted a vernissage to share the children’s wonderful artistic creations. Each time I came, my heart was filled. Yes, the art was beautiful, but what struck me more was the amount of care that had gone into making sure every child felt proud of their special contributions and the genuine love and respect the educators and children had for each other. Last year, after years as a kindergarten ECE at Riverview, Alta Vista and Mutchmor public schools, I joined Good Morning, teaching in both the Preschool and Storyscapes programs and then the summer camps. I look forward to another amazing year with this wonderful community. I will be starting the year teaching the Preschool & Beyond and Storyscapes programs again for the 2021-22 school year.

We are also happy to share that our team is welcoming ECE Mikkaila Spratt, who will be teaching in all Good Morning programs. She will be familiar to many Glebe families, as she was previously part of the kindergarten team at Mutchmor.

Check out gmcaps.com for more information.

Lauren Weber is a teacher at Good Morning Creative Arts and Preschool.