Learning Leaf Child Development Center is an early educational facility serving infants through Pre-K in the West End area of Washington, D.C. We operate under full compliance with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and uphold the highest-quality standards developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The school opened in January of 2021 and is currently undergoing the rigorous NAEYC accreditation process.

Learning Leaf is rooted in the Reggio Emilia Approach, meaning our instruction is inspired by the work of Reggio Emilia and Loris Malaguzzi. We view our students as creative, innovative, and competent individuals with powerful potential to learn from and inspire the world around them. A core belief within Reggio is that the environment is the “third teacher.” Our learning environment includes indoor and outdoor spaces, innovative teaching, and diverse classroom materials as tools for self-expression and exploration, empowering students to begin to understand and recognize their expertise from an early age. We recognize the importance of documentation and observation to ensure that we not only showcase our students’ growth, but also learn more about the various ways we can collaborate with our children to help them succeed. Strong, multifaceted relationships are critical as lessons are mutually created, driven by the interests of the child and guided by highly-trained teachers through the lens of child-centered education.

The school serves nearly 50 children with enrollment growing every day. We have approximately 12 infants (6 months to 18 months), 15 toddlers (18-24 months), 8 preschoolers (2-3 year olds) and 15 Pre-K students. 77.5% of our student population is White/Caucasian American, 11% Asian American, 10% Black American, 1% Latin American, and 0.5% Middle Eastern American. None of our students are low SES, although as the new director, a top priority is to offer our high quality instruction in an accessible, economically equitable way. Because Learning Leaf is a community school, many of our students and families enjoy the daily walks to and from school, with the occasional stop at our favorite classroom, Rose Park!

Learning Leaf Classroom Environment

Various Classrooms

Homer Plessy Community School is an arts-based public charter school located in New Orleans, LA and operates under NOLA Public Schools. Prior to 2020, it was a Prek - 6 school, but recently expanded to provide middle school, as well. Scripted curricula are utilized with fidelity across all subjects, making Arts Integrated Project-Based Learning (AIPBL) difficult to implement due to inherent time and material constraints, standardized testing, and administration requirements. There are two buildings - one in the heart of the French Quarter and one in the Treme. The unique, historical and vibrant location provides many opportunities for students, such as guest musicians, artists and even celebrity mentors.

Plessy is a community school directly reflecting the demographics of the city. 43% of students are African American, 32% Caucasian/ White and 13% Hispanic. Nearly 60% of the population is on free/ reduced lunch, although every child receives free lunch, snack and supper. Because it is a community school, many of the families work and live within the Quarter, providing ease of mobility. However, for those who do not, the inconsistent and dangerous (unlicensed) bussing leads to truancy caused directly by transportation issues.

Despite structural issues, there is something distinctly special and unique about the student, family and teacher community. There were two 1st grade classrooms and teachers. We taught all subjects in our respective classroom, while also collaborating together, a rich experience that provided an opportunity to truly get to know each of the students. Academic levels were varied, with some performing two grade levels below and some two above. I had two students with IEPs, but both were in least-restrictive environments most of the day, with individual support for up to 2.5 hours of pull-out intervention. Within my class of 23-25 students, I had children from Czech Republic, Cambodia, South Africa, Honduras, Germany, Thailand and various other states. This diversity fed a rich classroom learning culture of respect. Despite inherent obstacles to best-practices based teaching, there were never any barriers to creating a loving, enjoyable and meaningful classroom community.

Homer Plessy Classroom Environment

1st Grade