GREDC

Our Classrooms

About our classrooms

The GREDC includes five early learning classrooms in our main building at 515 Jefferson, as well as a 4-yr preschool and a school-age out-of-school time program located in the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center. Our youngest students begin in the Tesoro infant classroom, transitioning through our programs until entering kindergarten. Each classroom is designed and arranged to meet the developmental level and learning goals of the current group of children enrolled in the classroom. Rather than transitioning at a specific age, several factors are taken into consideration when determining fall transition plans. The needs and capabilities of each child and the environment of the next classroom are considered before transitions are determined. We also strive to keep peer groups together so they maintain existing relationships. We always look at what classroom and group of students is the best fit for each child.

Each of our classroom names are derived from Italian words that hold something meaningful to the classroom.

Our classrooms at 515 Jefferson

Tesoro

Meaning treasure, Tesoro is the youngest students enrolled in our program. We view infants as a treasure and value the opportunity to influence them during this sensitive period of development when their brains are absorbing every experience they are provided.

Tesoro Staff

Penny Blackall – Mentor Teacher
Becca Johnson – Teacher
Morgan Hurley – Teacher
Maddie Dewald – Teacher

Avventura

Meaning adventure, Avventura begins as a toddler classroom and loops into a young preschool classroom. Students are venturing further away from their primary caregivers and learning to navigate their environment and peers.

Avventura Staff

Tara Johnson – Mentor Teacher

Audrey Hannah – Protege Teacher

Chelsea Krampitz – Teacher

Kaitlyn Karwat – Teacher

Scoperta

Meaning discovery, Scoperta begins as a toddler classroom and loops into a young preschool classroom. The classroom provides an environment that encourages children to explore and discover more complex materials, social interactions, and a broader environment.

Scoperta Staff

April Riley-Elliott – Mentor Teacher

Lauren Huyck – Mentor Teacher

Katie VanIwaarden – Teacher

Lauren Davis – Teacher

Vita Mia

Meaning my life, Vita Mia begins as a 3-yr old preschool classroom. Children in this classroom are learning to care for themselves and their environment gaining confidence in caring for all aspects of their lives… self care, relationships, responsibilities, and emotions.

Vita Mia Staff

Lamya Abdelhadi – Protege Teacher
Aliyah Pointer – Protege Teacher
Maddie O’Brien – Teacher

Malaguzzi

Named after the founder of the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy, the Malaguzzi classroom is for 4-yr old preschoolers. Children in this room are using all the experiences in the previous classrooms to navigate their relationships, their feelings, their community, and the world all while becoming even more independent!

Malaguzzi Staff

Rihab Abdelhadi – Mentor Teacher
Aaliyah Chilton- Protege Teacher
Pattie Palasek – Teacher

Our Classrooms at the Child Discovery Center

These classrooms are located in the same building as our partnering elementary school, the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center, at 409 Lafayette Ave.

Immaginare

Meaning imagine, Immaginare is a 4-yr old preschool program, in partnership with the Great Start Readiness Program. The program operates at the Child Discovery Center during the school year, providing opportunities for children to imagine all the possibilities of the world while learning to be part of a community.

Immaginare Staff

Becca Hansen – Lead Teacher

Jake Exline – Associate Teacher

Aaron Farr – Associate Teacher
Annika Nixon – Associate Teacher

Discovery Care

Discovery Care is our out-of-school time program and summer care program for grades K-5. During the school year, meaningful experiences are provided for children enrolled at the Child Discovery Center for before and after school, half days, and days the school is not in session. During the summer, the program is open to the public.

Discovery Care Staff

Becca Hansen – Lead Teacher
Annika Nixon – Lead Teacher

Jake Exline – Lead Teacher

Aaron Farr – Lead Teacher
Ingrid Hentemann – Assistant Teacher
Brooke McCormick – Assistant Teacher
Megan Rushlau – Assistant Teacher

Learning Spaces

In addition to our classrooms, we have several learning spaces thoughtfully created for specific purposes.

Cucina

Meaning kitchen, the Cucina is perhaps not typically listed as a “learning space” by many early learning centers. But at the GREDC, even our Cucina is used to educate, explore, and create. In addition to creating breakfast, lunch, and snack for every child every day, the Cucina becomes a science lab whenever an emergent project or creative passion requires the services of an oven, stove, or mixer.

Cucina Staff

Catherine Gonzales – Kitchen Fairy, Nutrition Queen, Head Chef, Director of Hunger, Most Important Adult in the Building!

Passero Piazza

In Reggio schools, a piazza is a place where the whole school can gather but also a space that can be repurposed for individual activities, small or large group experiences, or presentations. Our Piazza serves as a welcome area, a mini-library for our families, a sitting space, a small group craft or reading space, and a coffee bar.

Our families are invited to take a moment to sit down and have a cup of coffee, plan a play date for their children, talk to teachers, or just relax.

Gigi's Garden

We are definitely lucky to be located in Downtown Grand Rapids and have many walkable experiences to enjoy with our students. Even close to home — literally in the front yard — we created a garden specifically designed for little hands and growing minds.

Gigi’s Garden, named after a former GREDC Director, contains several raised garden beds and lattice trellises within a safely enclosed space. Children of all ages use the garden to explore, experiment with plants, water, and bugs, and learn about life cycles and nature.

Playgrounds

Three outdoor playgrounds provide bountiful opportunities for exploration and discovery. Each is newly redesigned as part of a school-wide, child-led project to improve our outdoor areas and make the best use of the space we have.

We worked with our students, families, and community to build a water wall, install a boat, a concrete tunnel, several dynamic building supplies, and Judah’s rope bridge project.