You are invited to Big Wonder's 1st Year (Birthday) Celebration on August 7th from 5:00-7:00!
Big Wonder is turning 1! We have learned so much and come far in the past 12 months. We would love to celebrate our first year with you!
Our Year in Review:
We opened on August 7th, 2023, with only two children. Thankfully, we have grown and developed in so many ways. This year we:
had the privilege of serving 38 children and their families,
gave scholarships to four children
grew to 3 incredible full-time teachers with livable wages
expanded network of volunteers and supporters, who have helped us organize entire rooms of donated materials
gave two professional development workshops on Race Conciousness in early childhood for the Reggio Inspired Network of Minnesota and the Saint Paul Academy
developed our social-emotional and race-consciousness frameworks
built a fence and took down a wall (thanks largely to our wonderful partnership with St. Johns and a grant from WomensVenture!)
offered Mindfulness Classes every Wednesday (thanks to two amazing volunteers)
collaborated with St. John's to increase our Scholarship Funding
are working to create a public Nature Playground in partnership with the City of St Paul and the Ramsey Hill Association
shared 500 healthy snacks with children
enjoyed countless moments connecting with children and nurturing their hearts and minds by welcoming them to the classroom, singing Happy Birthday, teaching resiliency and kindness, building forts, and collecting flowers.
Attained financial viability! (This is HUGE! Demonstrating sustainability and proof of concept for our radically equitable and transparent facial policies.)
This year, more than I ever could have hoped, we have lived up to our ambitious mission:
To honor the unique rights of children, families, and teachers to create a just and harmonious community. Big Wonder is committed to equity and race consciousness. We serve families of different races, family structures, religious beliefs, and social-economic backgrounds. We are inspired by Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and spiritual inquiry frameworks to provide high-quality education for our youngest learners. We create and model innovative methods to find sustainable solutions to improve early childhood education.
Come Celebrate Big Wonder's first year! It was a year of learning, tenacity, heart, community-building, and optimism, and now it's time to enjoy some cake!
Please RSVP here: