Dragonflies

Dragonflies meet Monday though Thursday 12:00pm - 3:00 pm. Tuition will be $454/month for the 2025-2026 school year. Dragonflies must be at least 3½ by July 31st for the Fall start of class. Some children will opt to do a second year in Dragonflies, called a Dragonfly Leader year.

 
 

What do dragonflies learn?

By the time a child reaches age three or so, they have begun to engage in cooperative play on a large scale for the first time.  With the support of loving parents and a head teacher, the dragonflies learn to negotiate conflicts that inevitably arise in their play, they learn to utilize the social skills they've been role playing in circle, and they learn to navigate the ever changing world of friendships.  In addition to learning important lessons in community living, they also have the freedom to develop their own sense of self.   Every day dragonflies are offered a myriad of different mediums to choose from.  They choose how to express their innermost self---whether it be through story dictation, constructing buildings, painting on the easels, clay sculpting, or dancing to music.  Academic areas such as reading and writing and science and mathematics are integrated deliberately into the every day activities.  Children thus receive the message that learning is always available in the here and now.  And it is useful and practical and it is something they are wired to do.  Dragonfly parent alums have testified that their children thrive in kindergarten because not only do they leave LCP with appropriate academic skills, they also leave with an emotional awareness and assertiveness that allows them to negotiate strong relationships with other children and adults.

 
 

Example Daily Class Schedule

kids arrive!

  • Wash Hands

  • Teacher greets children and parents/caregivers as they get signed in

  • Teacher and Working parents help the children with the transition into class

  • Teacher(s) and working adults will facilitate free play and activities until Welcome Circle starts

WELCOME CIRCLE

We will meet at the beginning of each day to welcome children into the classroom. After singing and talking about the day’s activities, the teacher and assistant teachers will transition the children into free choice activities.

Free Choice Activities

This is the most important part of the day! During this block of time, the children will choose among art and sensory activities, blocks, the water table, the dramatics center, puzzles and games, the library center, and much more. Many of these activities will relate to our present theme; some will be daily activities that are available throughout the year. Each child may choose to participate in several activities or concentrate on a particular center. The choice is up to the child.

Circle Time

We will meet for a few minutes each day to share news in the children’s lives. This time may also be spent acting out stories, reading, reciting finger plays and poems, and moving to music and rhythm.

OUTDOOR TIME

At the Teacher’s discretion the class will usually cross the street to play at Lakewood Playground with swings, sandbox, play structure and playfield.

Additionally, LCP has access to two enclosed outdoor play spaces with a sandbox, diggers, balance and building toys, garden tools, and plenty of room to move.  

SNACK TIME

Dragonflies currently bring their own snacks from home.

After washing our hands, we will sit down to a snack. Dragonflies currently bring their own snacks from home. Snacks should be simple, nourishing finger foods. All working parents are to sit down with the children at the tables where they can encourage the children to talk with one another and to help the children as needed.

After the children have cleaned up their snack area, they will have the opportunity for more play time in the classroom.

Good-Bye CIRCLE/Song

Parents are welcome to come into the classroom for a last song and good-bye to our classmates.

From Marita Grunfeld

Dragonflies Teacher

I joined the LCP Community as the Cricket Teacher in 2015 and I couldn't be more ecstatic! After 6 joyful years as a parent and community member at Lakewood Cooperative Preschool, jumping into the role of Cricket teacher could not have felt more natural. As an educator for nearly 15 years with experience teaching pre-school thru high school, and a master's in creative arts and learning, I truly believe in the power of the arts to engage learners of all ages. I absolutely love to sing, dance, paint, sculpt, design, create, climb, leap, play and pretend along-side my new Cricket friends. The spunk and independence of the twos and threes as they test boundaries and develop relationships on new and profound levels makes my job dynamically rewarding every-day.

Together we create a positive and nurturing learning environment that includes developmentally appropriate activities focused on art, science, pre-reading and math skills, dramatic play, music, and language development. All of our activities-free-play, outdoor play, snack, and circle-support the development of fine and gross motor skills, as well as social-emotional skills. Truly, a cooperative school is a magical place where we learn along-side our children and parent peers while joyfully exploring our world through play. I am grateful to make navigating and negotiating this magical play my work.