It’s Monday morning and the Salmonberry Garden classroom is a buzz of activity.

Children quickly settle in to the morning’s art project, eager to be back for another week of school. They are working on print-making, using an array of recycled tiles and a wide pallet of paint colors. The day has just begun and there will be lots more to come: the sharing circle, music time, and imaginative playtime, both indoors and out.

“I enjoy providing a rich variety of experiences which connect the children with the wider world,” lead teacher Linda Ellsworth said. “In turn, I honor each child’s unique contribution to the classroom community.”

Want to come see the action? Starting in February, interested parents and their children will be welcome to visit the classroom, meet the teachers and tour the grounds on Monday and Wednesday mornings. An appointment is required, and can be made by contacting Salmonberry’s Program Director, Paul Freedman. He can be reached by phone at 376-6310 or by email at dancingmonkey@rockisland.com.

This spring the Salmonberry Garden will graduate several kindergarteners on to first grade. With that transition, the staff is excited to open up spaces for more new children to join the program. The school visits can be a way to observe teachers in action and learn more about Salmonberry’s early childhood curriculum. In addition to its preschool/kindergarten program, the school offers a drop in playgroup for parents and children from birth to age six every Thursday from 1 to 3 p.m. as well as a variety of summer programs for three- to six-year-olds.