Page 42 - BusinessWest December 12, 2022

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EARLY EDUCATION & CHILD CARE FACILITIES
RANKED BY CAPACITY
MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS
455 Island Pond Road, Springfield, MA 01118 (413) 732-2182; www.ducklings-nursery.com
20 BRIGHTERBEGINNINGS
411 Granby Road, South Hadley, MA 01075 (413) 532-5303; www.brighterbeginningcc.com
22 WOODSIDECHILDREN’SCENTER
155 Woodside Ave., Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 253-2604; www.woodsidechildrenscenter.org
24 ARMORY SQUARE CHILD CARE INC.
One Armory Square, Springfield, MA 01105; (413) 755-4955 www.stcc.edu/studentservices/childcare.asp
Music
Continued from page 40 many groups rethink what
works and what doesn’t. In the case of CMSS, it is exploring more holistic and interactive ways of deal- ing with mental health. Ford explained that “it’s a whole new mindset,” and the music school is doing things that haven’t been done before.
Not only was the pandemic isolating, but the world was watching racial injustice happen in real time, through constant television coverage and instant access on social media. When serving a com- munity of mostly Black and Brown people, CMSS took the time to pause and focus on the structures and systems in place in the organization.
“You talk to doctors, lawyers, scientists, people involved in very, very difficult, challenging work. Rocket scientists, when they’re not working, are involved in some type of music experience.”
“Our enrollment did take a little dip, and it gave
us time to think so we can try to be as equitable and inclusive and accessible as possible to our communi- ty,” Rivard said. “So we are recovering, absolutely, but I think we’re recovering so strongly because we had a chance to really examine the system that exists here and build it with community members involved in the process, so that it’s moving forward in a way that’s healing and caring rather than ‘let’s just hop right in and jump higher and move faster.’
“We’ve really listened to ourselves, to the faculty here working with us who live in this community, and to the people within our community that see changes that need to be made,” she added, “and I think that’s
6:45a.m.to 4 p.m.
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Lillian Krause-Ely
Susan Dexter
Charity Provost
Infant, toddler, preschool, full-year child care
Full-year educational program that provides infant, toddler, and preschool programming
Nonprofit facility on the campus of STCC; providing children with a positive and supportive learning environment
tionally. And for good reason — according to research by NAMI, patients diagnosed with mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia have shown a visible improvement in their mental health after general music and music-therapy interventions. Moreover, studies have demonstrated other benefits of music and music therapy, including improved heart rate and motor skills, stimulation of the brain, and enhancement of the immune system.
Learning for Life
Simmons called social-emotional learning an important part of the educational programs at CMSS.
“It’s huge in Sonido Musica,” she said. “It’s all about gaining skills and competencies for kids that sort of helps them succeed socially, academically, and even onward into their careers and their lives. These are skills like self-regulation, community col- laboration, working together for a common goal, confidence, agency, resiliency — skills that really help them everywhere they go.”
Ford added that learning music and arts early in life make young people better readers and strength- ens their reading-comprehension skills, math apti- tude, and more.
“You talk to doctors, lawyers, scientists, people involved in very, very difficult, challenging work. Rocket scientists, when they’re not working, are involved in some type of music experience,” she said. “Whether they love listening to music or love actually playing music or singing, or they studied a whole life of music and then ended up doing these extraordi- nary, really difficult careers, music is the backdrop. So when we see the potential for music to really calm and be a stepping stone to positions like being presi- dent of the United States, you’re like, ‘OK, we just need it.’” u
Kailey Houle can be reached at [email protected].
SIDE BY SIDE PRESCHOOL & CHILD CARE CENTER
27 Streiber Dr., Chicopee, MA 01020
(413) 532-2388; www.sidebysidepreschool.com
HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE EARLY LEARNING CENTER
893 West St., Amherst, MA 01002; (413) 559-5706 www.hampshire.edu/elc/the-early-learning-center
CENTER
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33 months to KG
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6 weeks to 6 years
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2 years, 9 months to 11 years
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Infant to 8 years
36
2 months to 5 years
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33 months to 6 years
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Rachel Szlachetka
Lisa Martin
Romit Ben-Shir
SERVICES
Full-time and part-time preschool classes; gym and music classes also included in monthly tuition; an encouraging atmosphere and enriched curriculum help children develop a love for learning while creating a strong foundation for them to build on
Outdoor playground, providing children with a positive and supportive learning atmosphere; year-round educational programs; before- and after-school and summer programs; open enrollment; small classroom setting
Reggio Emilia-inspired campus; early-childhood program
NAMI research shows that music is influential in a person’s life, regardless of age and demographics.
42 DECEMBER 12, 2022
EDUCATION
BusinessWest
CAPACITY AND AGES
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why we’re recovering so well — because we use that as an opportunity to listen and to come back to the ground.”
Ford agreed. She used the metaphor of a bus, and “everybody comes out at different stops.” The spill- over and residual effects of COVID have shown that music may not be the most important thing in some- one’s life, but it can be among the most powerful.
Youth mental health is a main focus for the music school this year, and the staff are doing everything they can to support their students socially and emo-
ADMINI- STRATOR