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On September 23, Discovery hosted our first Virtual Meet the DSPA on Zoom for this school year. The gathering introduced families to the Discovery School Parent Association and shared how the DSPA supports special experiences for our children throughout the year. Families had the opportunity to learn what the DSPA does, where fundraiser contributions go, and the different ways parents can get involved in our school community. Missed the meeting? You can still sign up to be pa

On Wednesday, September 23, local police officers visited Discovery to spend time with our students. The kids got to say hi, ask questions, and talk with the officers in a comfortable, familiar space. Visits like this are an important part of growing up. Meeting community helpers in a friendly environment helps kids see officers as helpful adults they can count on. Over time, these quick visits build trust, lower fear of uniforms, and show children how people work together to

Every school journey has a first day, and for our youngest children it can start long before they are ready to say goodbye at the door. Our Parent and Me program opened Monday, September 21, for our youngest children, from six months to two years old, and the grown-ups who bring them. Sessions are built on play, song, and hands-on exploration, the way young children learn best. A parent stays close through it all. A child who explores a new room with a trusted grown-up nearby

Supporting our community is as simple as enjoying a meal together. Mark your calendar for Wednesday, September 30 for Restaurant Night at The Stand Encino. When your family dines at a local restaurant, a portion of the sales goes directly to our parent group, the DSPA. Every order helps fund the festivals, special visits, and fun celebrations that make the Discovery school year special. You do not even need to bake anything to help. Bring your appetite and join us for a great

Children grow up fast. A good photo holds a moment still. This fall, our families can capture one and support their school at the same time. The Shani Barel photo fundraiser opens September 21 and runs through October 2. Shani Barel offers sessions to our Discovery families. The photos are yours to keep. Those dollars go to the DSPA, our parent group. The money returns to the children as festivals, visits, and celebrations across the year. A family photo becomes a year of com

On Wednesday, September 17, Creature Critters came to Discovery. Our children met animals up close. Visiting teachers led the morning and left plenty of room for questions. Meeting a live animal in person is a great way to spark a lifelong love for nature. When kids watch an animal move, breathe, and interact up close, they naturally get curious and start asking big questions about the world around them. Spending time with animals also helps young children learn how to be ind

Back by popular demand, the Franklin Haynes Marionettes performed for our campers today, bringing their wonderful puppet show to Discovery School once again. Our campers watched in delight as stories came to life through the puppets on stage. There is something magical about watching children's faces light up as puppets sing, dance, and tell stories, and today was no exception. Our campers loved every minute of the show.

Back by popular demand, the Franklin Haynes Marionettes performed for our campers today, bringing their wonderful puppet show to Discovery School once again. Our campers watched in delight as stories came to life through the puppets on stage. There is something magical about watching children's faces light up as puppets sing, dance, and tell stories, and today was no exception. Our campers loved every minute of the show.

Summer camp at Discovery School wraps up with one of our campers' favorite traditions: pony rides. After nine weeks of Olympic themed adventures, field trips, music, and water play, our campers get to end the season with a slow, joyful turn around the yard on a pony. It is a fitting close to a summer full of discovery, and our campers' excitement says it all.

Two of our campers' favorite kinds of play come together this week with Blue Blocks and Foam. First, our campers build with giant foam blocks right on our yard, stacking and creating structures as big as their imaginations allow. Building with blocks this size takes teamwork. Our campers work together to lift, balance, and stack each piece, and a structure rarely looks the same twice. Some campers build towers, others build forts, and some just like to see how high a tower ca

The Olympic spirit at summer camp keeps building with a full week of dress up days for our campers. It starts with Track and Field Day, when campers show up ready to move in running shoes, sweatbands, and sporty outfits, followed by Olympic Ring Color Day. Team Jersey Day lets our campers show off their favorite sports team, whether that means the Lakers, the Dodgers, or any jersey close to their heart. The week finishes with Olympic Torch Colors, when campers bring the flame

Our campers spent the morning surrounded by drums, and every single one had their own to play. From keeping a steady beat to creating their own rhythms, the drum circle filled our campus with music and laughter. There is something joyful about watching a yard full of children play their own music together. Our campers loved every minute of it, and it showed in their smiles all morning long.

Our very own music teacher, Teacher Lucy, joined our campers today for a morning of special music, dance, and movement activities. From the first song, our campers were up and moving, clapping, and trying out new dance steps together. Having Teacher Lucy lead the morning made the activities feel personal and familiar, since our campers already know and love her from throughout the year. It was a wonderful way to bring rhythm and joy into the camp day.

This week marks a first for Discovery School. Our youngest campers will climb into their very own toddler sized bumper cars and take them for a spin right on campus. Watching toddlers steer their own little cars, bump gently into a friend, and giggle the whole time is the kind of joy that makes summer camp so much fun. We cannot wait to introduce this new activity to our youngest campers.

Last week, our campus had a very special visit from the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. Educators from Cabrillo arrived with a touch tank, sea stars, and a full program designed to bring ocean life directly to our children. Our children were wide-eyed from the moment the program began. They got to hear about ocean habitats, learn what different sea creatures eat, and discover how marine animals protect themselves. Then came the touch tank, and the wonder in the room was something t

On Friday, June 12, we will gather on our campus at 9:30 AM to celebrate something that has been building all year long. Our Team 3 and TK students are graduating, and this moment belongs entirely to them. Watching children arrive as two and three-year-olds and grow into confident, curious, ready-for-kindergarten graduates is one of the most rewarding things our teachers experience. And for families, it is a milestone that can feel both triumphant and tender at the same time.

On June 10, Discovery School is throwing a party for the people who deserve it most: our children. Kidchella is our end-of-year celebration concert, and this year, performer Jason Mesches is joining us to put on a live show. It is designed to feel like a children's festival: full of music, movement, and the energy of a room full of kids who are happy, together, and celebrating. The Power of Music in Early Childhood Music has always been a meaningful part of how young children

Once a year, our Discovery School community comes together for a genuinely elegant evening. For this year's Spring Gala, we're pulling out all the stops. The Theme: Kentucky Derby This year's Gala theme is the Kentucky Derby, and yes, we fully encourage your most creative derby hat. The Kentucky Derby is one of the most festive, vibrant traditions in American culture, built around community, celebration, and a whole lot of pageantry. It's the perfect frame for an evening lik

Last week , Discovery School's parking lot was home to something bigger than all of us. The Children's Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) bloodmobile came to our campus, and our community showed up to donate. Blood donations to CHLA directly support the children in their care, children who need transfusions and treatments that simply cannot happen without a steady supply of donated blood. This blood drive is one of many community service initiatives our school participates in thr

Every spring, there is a morning at Discovery School that feels like it was made for the season. It's the Spring Parade, and if you haven't witnessed it before, this Friday is the year to change that. What Is the Spring Parade? Our Spring Parade is an annual tradition where every class at Discovery School comes outside and marches together in the spring costumes they've created in their own classrooms. The costumes are handmade, unique to each classroom, and always delightfu