"Let the Fields Be Jubilant"

One of my favorite things to do during the summer months is to arrive at work early and
enjoy my morning coffee in the community garden. There is something incredibly
peaceful about being surrounded by nature at the start of the day. I listen to the birds
singing their praises and watch butterflies and dragonflies flit from garden box to garden
box. Each box is filled with something beautiful—tall sunflowers, juicy red tomatoes,
fragrant basil, and brightly colored zinnias. It is truly a wonderful way to begin the day.
Being in nature is restorative, and we are so fortunate to have such a beautiful campus
at Northbrook. As I wander across campus and make my way back to the preschool, I
often think of Psalm 96:12: “Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the
trees of the forest sing for joy.” I imagine the trees—the pines, dogwoods, pecans, and
figs—all singing for joy, especially when our students are here filling the campus with
their own joyful energy.

Our students love this campus and the opportunity to explore the world just beyond their
classroom doors. Their classes adopt trees and tend to our garden boxes. They plant
flowers and release butterflies. They dig in the dirt and make friends with the bugs they
discover. They roll in the grass, race down the “hills,” and delight in watching squirrels,
chipmunks, and geese.

In the Reggio Emilia philosophy, nature and outdoor spaces serve as open-ended,
aesthetic, and dynamic environments where children can use their “hundred
languages”—through art, building, scientific inquiry, and countless other forms of
expression—to explore, collaborate, and co-construct knowledge alongside their
teachers and peers. We are so grateful that our students have the freedom to use this
beautiful campus as an extension of their classroom, giving them opportunities to learn,
wonder, discover, and grow.

Before summer comes to an end, I hope you will take a few moments to visit the garden
or simply wander our campus with a cup of coffee in hand. I promise it will do wonders
for your soul.
​
With love,
Jennifer Sawicki
Preschool Director