We have warned you . . . as the weather gets warmer, we fill the water tables up and encourage messy play in the mud kitchen. The children flock to these areas so that they can pour and mix and pump and stir. And, they get wet and dirty.

Please be prepared to pick up a dirty child at the end of the day. Be sure to have lots of extra play clothes in your child’s cubby so that we can make a change if needed. If you have special after school plans, let us know and we will gladly help children change into a fresh outfit.

As the weather warms, we will also be taking measures to protect your child from the sun. We apply sunscreen to children daily; please make sure that we have an updated sunscreen form on hand. Also, we recommend that your child bring a sun hat for face protection.

A recent inquiry from a day care parent about renting the gym on a weekend for a child’s birthday party, sparked discussion with the church leadership about rental possibilities of both the gym and the roof.

In mid-December, the Tennessee Association for the Education of Young Children hosted a mixer on the roof to attract Millennial early childhood educators to the association. TAEYC is committed to bringing young leaders into the fold and a rooftop party seemed a good way to bring folks together. The event was at night and the roof was alive with lights, fire pits (for marshmallow roasting), a band, and hot chocolate stations (it was chilly). It was a stunning event and our rooftop proved to be a magical space at night. The church is open to the possibility of renting the roof for outside gatherings as long as they are alcohol-free and terms are met regarding set up and clean up.

Additionally, the gym is available as a gathering space. Although the Nashville Sports Leagues have contracted most evenings and some weekends, with scheduling, the space may be available.

Understandably, there are restrictions (especially parking) with the use of our building, but McKendree would love to offer an affordable option for downtown event space from time to time. There would be cost involved but the rental fees would be considerably less than most downtown venues. If you would like to discuss this further, please let Cindy Ligon know.

Cindy Ligon is going to Tulsa, OK this month to attend, and present workshops at the Southern Early Childhood Association Conference. More importantly, she is also going to accept The 2016 Exemplary Outdoor Classroom Award for the center’s AMAZING rooftop garden and play space! This is such a proud and exciting moment for our McKendree family. All the hard work creating this magical outdoor space for our children is being recognized across the Southern part of the country. Kudos to everyone who had a hand in the development of the roof space!

In addition to the prize we received as winners (the “rockband” drum station which is already installed on the roof), we will receive a plaque which will proudly be displayed in the hallway leading to the roof.

The 2016 Roof Team – Anthony Creasy, Cynthia Rodgers, Katy Dennis, and Betty Witt will be making gardening plans soon. In only a few months it will be planting time! If you would like to lend your expertise in gardening, landscape design, etc., or are simply willing to roll up your sleeves and help us prepare for a wonderful crop (and consequently fantastic science experiences for the children) please let someone from this team know.