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Well it is time to do a mid-season review of the gardening efforts at The Grove School of Plano. To review where we’ve been: In February, Ms. Sara, the Pre-Kindergarten teacher led the students of The Grove School in planting over 25 vegetables and herbs in the greenhouse. Most of the seeds that sprouted were transplanted to the planting beds about a month later, and several of those originals are thriving in the garden now. The sweet peas were eaten while students watered them with water gathered in the rain barrel. We can’t keep their hands off of them! The radishes never turned red, and the potato bin failed, but the peppers and tomatoes are beautiful! I can’t get peppers to grow at home but they sure are pretty at The Grove School. While the corn is stunted, it is interesting to illustrate a plant that fruits, “in the middle”. The okra is the biggest I have ever seen in my life, and all of the herbs have grown large and shown great color. Mint, parsley, basil, and oregano is all evident, and the butter nut squash is a little small but very nice in color and shape. A little of each thing planted did sprout and try to fruit, so that is positive I think.

To supplement our summer focus on biomes of the world, we first planted water lilies during the study of water; then we planted a local moss to represent the Arctic ecosystem being studied, and now we are planting cactus while we visit the desert regions through our studies. Some of the water lilies are growing but many are not; I think the bulbs were old. The moss is doing okay as long as we keep it out of direct sunlight. It is a soft moss that is pretty when wet and shaded. The cacti are being introduced this week but right now they are blooming in beautiful colors in the Outdoor Grove.

Preparing the soil, planting the seeds, transplanting seedlings, and nurturing plants to fruit have been amazing experiences. Ones that have been rewarding to our efforts and ones from which we have learned. I have learned that water lily bulbs blow up to many times their original size! Wow! Finding a suitable container that was affordable was challenging! I have learned that potato bins are very interesting and intriguing but fungus must be addressed quickly. I didn’t research an organic fungicide quickly enough to save the young plants. We made it to the first cubic square of 2x4s. I have learned that we need a bigger rain barrel. J In Texas, we have run though our barrel quickly and needed the city water as a supplement several times. I have learned that corn is difficult to grow; I am not successful at home or at school. We planted the sweet peas around the corn intentionally, but the sweet peas outgrew the corn. Maybe corn just isn’t suited for Texas climate. I have not yet learned why the radishes were stunted; I can get them to grow nicely at home, and they are hardy and simple by nature. I thought about sending a soil sample to Texas A & M for analysis.

Overall, I would deem The Grove School inaugural gardening experience enjoyable and successful. The students are engaged, there are obvious fruits of their labor, and they’ve already sampled some of it! They have witnessed the plant life cycle first hand, and they have been responsible for providing the things a plant needs to survive-sunlight, air, soil, and water. You should see the Garden Journals of the Early Preschool students; they are documenting changes in the garden with Ms. Kathryn’s support. Practicing the scientific thinking skill of observation is beneficial to many developmental areas.

I look forward to the planning cycle for our fall panting season. Ms. Sara is just getting started on it; stay tuned for further updates as we reach harvest and begin planting again.

Wendy is our Head of School in Plano, TX. She has deep community ties, having spent 15 years with the Plano ISD in various teaching, administrative and leadership roles. In addition to her zeal for helping children learn, Wendy enjoys being in the great outdoors with her family.

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The Grove School, a new preschool located in Plano, Texas, and Cary, North Carolina, has officially opened its doors to offer children in these communities exceptional educational opportunities. By incorporating education about organic foods and social responsibility with early reading and writing skills, The Grove School integrates its unique healthy mind, healthy body and healthy planet philosophy into every aspect of its preschool activities and learning environment.

The Grove School prepares children ages 2 to 5 for both today and the future, providing an extensive curriculum that offers them a head start on understanding our quickly evolving world. In fact, after extensive research, a group of professionals with more than 35 years of expertise in early childhood education discovered that many parents nationwide were seeking a preschool that includes both traditional early learning curriculum and instruction in social purpose and a healthy lifestyle to deliver a high-quality and well-rounded education. The Grove School goes beyond serving organic food and using sustainable products to fully implement its overarching philosophy in every element, from curriculum and materials to types of activities and models for the way the children interact with one another, parents and their community.

The Heads of The Grove School, Dr. Scott Andersen and Wendy DeSpain, bring years of educational experience to the schools and are set to lead these inaugural locations with their teams of talented and motivated teachers. As its leaders, they embrace the school’s mission and play an active role in the parents’ and children’s experience, employee growth and school development. The Heads of School are also very involved in the day-to-day supervision of the school staff, providing constant and consistent guidance that maps to the school’s unique principles.

“The Grove School openings offer an exciting start in education, focused on our healthy mind, body, and planet philosophy, to children 2 to 5 years old, said Ty Durekas, president, The Grove School. “Our Heads of Schools, along with their teaching staff, are prepared and motivated to offer children a sustainable learning environment with research-based curriculum focusing on nutrition and a sense of community, as well as the structure and concepts presented in traditional elementary schools.”

“We are excited to provide a dynamic, educational and innovative environment for children at The Grove School,” said Dr. Scott Andersen, Cary’s Head of School, The Grove School. “We look forward to the benefits each child will receive from the excellent academic preparation we can offer them.”

“Being involved in the development of The Grove School has been an enlightening experience, and I am excited to introduce children to this unique and well-rounded curriculum and learning environment,” said Wendy DeSpain, Plano’s Head of School, The Grove School. “One of our greatest goals is to prepare children for K-12 education, and with this combination of traditional curriculum and social purpose and healthy lifestyle education, we know our students will be ready to continue learning and becoming productive members of their communities.”

John oversees public relations for the school. For 20 years he's been helping global consumer brands, non-profits and high-tech companies engage in meaningful conversations.

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I believe self-esteem is the cornerstone of all student achievement. Starting each day with a clean slate and a confident attitude are essential. Making every student feel welcome, safe, and valued are my personal priorities.

I believe in focusing on the positive traits each child possesses and using poor choices as learning experiences. I entered the field of education to be an advocate for the child.

I always act in the best interest of the individual child, and I do anything within my power to help each student enter the building every day with a mind set ready for learning and growing.

Wendy is our Head of School in Plano, TX. She has deep community ties, having spent 15 years with the Plano ISD in various teaching, administrative and leadership roles. In addition to her zeal for helping children learn, Wendy enjoys being in the great outdoors with her family.

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Since I was a middle school student, and I began babysitting my younger nieces and nephews, I have had a passion for young children and been driven to make a positive difference in their lives.

I further developed my knowledge and insight while fueling my passion by coaching soccer and swimming as well as working in day care situations throughout my high school and college years.

After graduating from Stephen F. Austin State University, I began working in the Plano Independent School District, where I have spent the last 15 years interacting with and learning from colleagues, families, and students. I value the opportunities I have had in Plano ISD: from the humility I learned as a teacher in setting expectations for students, to the experience resulting from assisting in curriculum development at the district level, to the value of building capacity in teachers as an assistant principal, and to the global perspective gained as a principal and as president of the Plano Principal’s Association.

Most recently as the district’s NCLB Coordinator, I have learned to appreciate the legal and bureaucratic tentacles of state and federal accountability systems and enhanced my understanding of cognitive growth and of assessment tools. I have cherished my time positively impacting students and supporting teachers; I have had a rewarding and enjoyable career in Plano ISD.

I hold a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in reading and a Master’s degree in Elementary Education with a major in special education. I also have a Principal’s Certificate in Texas.
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On the family front, I have three children, Madison Louise, who is 5 years old and twin boys, Aiden Richard and Gabriel Harold, who are 4 years old. My beloved spouse is Kevin DeSpain, a Plano native who is now a research biologist at UT-Southwestern Medical Center.

Other members of our family include our cats, Chiliwompand Achilles, and our dog, Thunder Paw. Furthermore, Kevin and I both have a great amount of extended family in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, with whom we enjoy several weekends each month. Together, we relish family time camping, hiking, backpacking, and bike riding, in addition to gardening, reading, and cooking.

Now I am in the position to synthesize all of my experience and knowledge and apply it to The Grove School. My personal philosophy is reflected in that of this school. I am environmentally conscious, committed to early childhood education and early intervention, enjoy collaborating with kids, staff, and parents, and believe in connecting the mind and body with the planet.

In everything from teaching science to kindergarteners and Biology I to elementary students, to facilitating the planetarium for all elementary grades and employing Project Wild ideals, I fostered a respect and love for the outdoors. As a day camp counselor, I modeled environmental consciousness throughout daily hikes, sailing, canoeing, and swimming, as well as through recycling and clean-up efforts.

I’m also looking forward to bridging the transition from The Grove School to kindergarten, and making it easier for families. Plus I have so many ideas for collaborating with the community and ensuring increased cognition in all of the students.

Finally, I feel The Grove School and I are a perfect match. I have been so excited about this opportunity because I believe this is my pathway. This is the opportunity for which I have been unknowingly grooming myself.

Wendy is our Head of School in Plano, TX. She has deep community ties, having spent 15 years with the Plano ISD in various teaching, administrative and leadership roles. In addition to her zeal for helping children learn, Wendy enjoys being in the great outdoors with her family.

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The Grove School has announced the Head of School at each of our locations. Dr. Scott Andersen and Wendy DeSpain will be joining the Cary and Plano schools, respectively, bringing with them extensive experience in education and passion for the school’s healthy mind, healthy body, healthy planet philosophy and dedication to educational excellence.

After an in-depth interview process, The Grove School identified two credentialed individuals to lead its inaugural locations. In the Head of School role, Dr. Andersen and DeSpain will support The Grove School and the guiding principles behind its philosophy. The leadership position requires both visionary and managerial abilities, as its leaders embrace the school’s mission and play an active role in the parent and children’s experience, employee growth and school development. The Head of School will also be very involved in the day-to-day supervision of the school staff, providing constant and consistent guidance mapping to the school’s unique principles and goals.

Dr. Andersen’s qualifications include Ed.D., Ed.S. and M.S. degrees in literary science and educational technology, and a B.S. in computer science. He also taught Spanish, English, math and technology in public schools, was an adjunct professor of digital-video editing, and served as a principal and superintendent of several schools. With seven children of his own, Dr. Andersen is a natural educator and leader both at work and in his personal life. In addition to this extensive education experience, Dr. Andersen has also worked as a software developer and is an award-winning photojournalist.

After receiving her M.S. in elementary education, specializing in special education, her B.S. in interdisciplinary studies, focusing on reading in the teaching field and Principal’s Certificate, DeSpain has worked in various roles, from teacher to principal, within Plano’s school district. With 14 years in the field, DeSpain was most recently the No Child Left Behind coordinator in the Plano Independent School District in its Department of Assessment & Accountability. She was also a third grade teacher, as well as a science and math teacher to elementary students, involved with Plano Principal’s Association for several years as a Board member and President and assisted in curriculum development in Plano Independent School District. In addition to working with hundreds of children throughout Texas, DeSpain has three children of her own and 25 nieces and nephews.

“Both Scott and Wendy have varied, valuable and extensive experience in education,” said Ty Durekas, president, The Grove School. “We are confident as Head of School in the Cary and Plano locations, they will help us achieve our goals of offering parents and children a sustainable learning environment with research-based curriculum focusing on nutrition and a sense of community, as well as the structure and concepts presented in traditional elementary schools. We are excited to have these extremely credentialed leaders help bring The Grove School’s healthy mind, body and planet philosophy to the Plano and Cary communities.”

“Joining The Grove School team has been a wonderful and enlightening experience,” said Dr. Scott Andersen, Cary’s Head of School, The Grove School. “I am excited for the opportunity to work with such passionate and smart people. The enthusiasm among this group is contagious.”

“I have been immersed in education in Texas for the past 14 years and am thrilled to be a part of this innovative new preschool,” said Wendy DeSpain, Plano’s Head of School, The Grove School. “The combination of traditional curriculum with topics on social responsibility is an ideal learning environment for today’s children and will produce students well prepared for K-12 schooling. It is something for which I have great passion and can confidently support and advocate.”

John oversees public relations for the school. For 20 years he's been helping global consumer brands, non-profits and high-tech companies engage in meaningful conversations.

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