Letter From Abbi
Dear Friends of The Playing Field,
Nelson Mandela said, āThere can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.ā
These are wise and true words. Yet, children are often an afterthought when big decisions are being made. Even child care systems were not actually built around what we know about child development.
I once interviewed for a position where I was asked to rank in order of importance the satisfaction of teachers, parents, administration, and myself. It was an interesting question, but I wondered why the satisfaction of children was not included. Shouldnāt a child be satisfied with the care they receive?
When child care is discussed, the phrase, āChildren are our future,ā is often heard.
However, children are also our right now. A child may spend 10,000 hours in an early education program before kindergarten, and those hours should be happy ones. This isnāt because he or she has the potential to grow up and be somebody important, but because the child is already an important person.
With potential funding cuts occurring at both the state and federal levels, I am concerned for the future of child care. This is not because I want to save the program weāve built over the last decade, but because I see firsthand the pressures on families which in turn, impact young children. Funding cuts will not only mean less available care but also make providing high quality care more difficult.
From the belief that children deserve the best we can offer, I will always advocate for them and for those who love and care for them. I hope you will join me!
Please contact your state officials to let them know you support the continuation of Child Care Counts. Reach out to your federal representatives and let them know you support funding for early education including Head Start.
As always, thank you for your continued interest and support!
Abbi Kruse,
Executive Director
Volunteer SpotlightāMeet Denise
Denise Mirkin is one of the dedicated volunteers in our School Family who brings her warmth, wisdom, and heart to The Playing Field every week.
For as long as she can remember, Denise dreamed of being a teacherāor a veterinarian. Luckily for the countless children sheās touched, she chose teaching.
With a deep passion for educating young learners, Denise opened and operated Honeybees Preschool, a space where little learners thrived through play, connection, and Conscious DisciplineĀ®. Along the way, she also guided and mentored aspiring educators, partnering with Madison College to provide hands-on training and to instill the importance of high-quality, intentional care and education for young children.
After 35 years of leading her own center, Denise made the difficult decision to close her preschool when childcare programs were ordered to shut down at the start of the pandemic. Though she stepped away from running a center, she knew she wasnāt ready to stop working with young learners. Having long admired The Playing Fieldās mission, she saw an opportunity to stay connected and continue sharing her experience in a meaningful way.
For the past year and a half, Denise has been a dedicated volunteer in the Gold Fish classroom, bringing stories, songs, and hands-on activities to engage young learners each week.
Our students share their favorite memories of Denise, including her reading There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and the Gingerbread series. They also love singing along to 5 Green Speckled Frogs, Bingo, and 10 Little Monsters. Whether itās through puzzles, songs, or a good book, Denise helps bring the magic of learning to life in the classroom.
More than anything, she values the connections she buildsāwith the children, the teachers, and a community that shares her commitment to high-quality early education.
A Few Fun Facts About Denise:
š A natural storyteller who fills the classroom with books & songs.
š¶ She believes the best learning happens through music, nature, and play.
ā¤ļø Feels right at home in The Playing Fieldās School Family.
Deniseās warmth, wisdom, and kindness make Tuesdays especially special for our School Family!
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Parent Trainings – Building Skills with Conscious Discipline
In early February, we launched our Conscious DisciplineĀ® Parent Training series, giving parents the opportunity to dive deeper into the social-emotional framework we use in the classroom.
Our Executive Director, Abbi Kruse, and Program Director, Michelle Henner, are both Certified Conscious Discipline Instructors and will lead a total of seven sessions, offering parents valuable tools to support their childrenās growth at home. The first session focused on the contrast between traditional discipline (rewards and punishments) and Conscious Discipline (modeling behaviors and teaching skills). Together, we discussed how inspiring positive behavior is more effective than controlling it.
One powerful takeaway from the session was this quote from Simon Sinek:āØ āThere are two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it or you can inspire it.ā
Conscious Discipline teaches children how to handle emotions, solve problems, and meet their needs in healthy ways, with the ultimate goal of self-regulation. Rather than punishing or rescuing children from the consequences of their actions, we focus on teaching new behaviors and building skills that empower them to manage their emotions and thrive.
Weāre excited to continue supporting our families with this valuable training, and look forward to seeing its positive impact in our classrooms and beyond!
Interested in learning more about Conscious DisciplineĀ® ?
We are hosting two Conscious DisciplineĀ® events this year ā a two-day event in April and a week-long event in June.
Parent Voice: Meet Chelsea Fields
At The Playing Field, our School Family is made up of parents, children, and caregivers who inspire us every day. One of those parents is Chelsea Fields, a mother to two children who attend our program.
Recent discussions about potential cuts to Head Start funding hit close to home for us. Many of the families in our School Family rely on this vital funding to ensure their children receive quality early education.
Chelsea recently spoke with the local news about how these cuts would impact her family and the larger community. She shared the uncertainty families would face without access to Head Start funding, emphasizing its critical role in their livesāas well as the ripple effects on the local community and workforce.
Read more about Chelseaās story here.
Our community is built on the connections, care, and commitment of the families we serve, and we are grateful to have Chelsea and her family as part of our School Family.
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Community Event: Build with Us
Itās happening! Weāre building the World We Imagine for all children and families, and we couldnāt do it without the dedication of our School Family and the ongoing support of our community.
As part of our community, we invite you to join us on March 19th for a special event where weāll celebrate our collective impact, share exciting updates about our campaign, and offer a sneak peek into the progress of our Early Learning Lab School.
Event Details
š Date: Wednesday, March 19th
ā° Time: 8:00 ā 9:00 AM
š Location: Plumbersā Training Center, 2102 E Springs Dr, Suite 100, Madison, WI 53704
š RSVP here: World We Imagine Campaign Event
Fun Photos from February
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Every contributionābig or smallāhelps us build a stronger foundation for children, families, and educators. If youād like to support our School Family, you can do so here:
