Contact Information
Phone: (971) 722-6920
Fax: (503) 722-6930
Receptionist: rebecca.howe@fruitandflower.org
Philosophy of Care
We believe and trust in the natural growth and development of your child. This belief stems from a deep respect for children as individuals and complete beings. Children thrive in a safe and healthy environment that supports who they are, their interests, and their needs.
It is our belief that children learn best when they have supportive and loving attachments with their teachers, and are playing and engaged in activities which they choose. The job of the teachers is to provide a stimulating, developmentally appropriate environment and support and encourage the learning that occurs. We are committed to the concept that children learn as they are ready, and that if we are alert to signs of their readiness, we can provide them with opportunities to develop in their own special way.
Creative Curriculum
At Fruit & Flower we follow the CREATIVE CURRICULUM. We are a play-based program, in which children are free to decide how they will spend their time. It is our strong belief that children learn as they play and interact with their environment. Literacy, math, science and art are the core learning concepts woven throughout the curriculum; utilizing the basic principle that learning and development occur when young children interact with the environment and people around them. We believe young children initiate most of the activities required for learning and development. It is our responsibility as educators to guide and facilitate this dynamic process.
Each day, teachers prepare a supportive environment with a variety of activity choices. Teachers are there to support learning and to observe and make note of the choices which children make. Those observations are the basis for developing ongoing curriculum from week to week. In this way, activities and environments are a direct reflection of the children and teachers who spend their days in each classroom in the Center.
At Fruit & Flower, we provide a relaxed pace, with a balance maintained between indoor and outdoor-time, quiet-time and active-time, individual or small group activity and larger group occasions. Teachers plan activities during the day based on the interests of children in their groups, taking care to provide a variety of choices to meet individual needs within the group. A typical day includes lots of opportunities for growth and exploration. Your little one might spend time painting, playing with blocks, riding a tricycle, or digging in the garden. Of course, there’s always plenty of reading, word games and singing, all of which help lay the foundation for a good reader. Of course, the Infant Center works very hard to respect each baby’s individual schedule, allowing babies to eat, sleep, and play as their body dictates.
Classrooms
Lilac – Infants
– 1:4 adult/child ratio
– Infants who are at least 6 weeks old
Tulip – Toddler
– 1:4 adult/ratio
– Children who are 12 months old
Plum – Transitional Preschool
– 1:5 adult/child ratio
– Children who are at least 24 months
Blueberry – Preschool
– 1:10 adult/child ratio
– Children who are 36 months by September 1st
Cherry – Kindergarten & Pre-K
– 1:10 adult/child ratio
– Children who are 4 years old by September 1st
Teachers
The heart and soul of our program is our teaching staff. Most Fruit & Flower lead teachers have a degree or certification and all our teachers continue their education through in-service training and workshops. Each of our classroom groups is staffed with a lead teacher, and assistant teacher. The lead teachers supervise classroom operations and develop the curriculum. Our ratio of caregivers to children meets or exceeds government requirements. We also employ a group of substitute caregivers, to fill in for regular staff that are ill or on vacation. All of our teachers are dedicated to giving our students a quality education in an environment of love and encouragement. Read a little bit about our teachers below.
