spring 2024 Enrichment Classes

Park West is excited to offer enrichment opportunities for our 4-Day and JK students this spring. Enrichment classes give students an opportunity to learn a new skill, practice a known skill, have fun with their classmates and offer families an extra 40-45 minutes of time at Park West.  

Our Spring Session will run from Monday, April 1 - Friday, May 31.

Registration for Spring session classes will open Tuesday, March 5 and will close on Wednesday, March 20.

Scroll down to read class descriptions, followed by schedules and registration links.

If you have any questions about enrichment, please contact ashley@parkwestcoop.org. 

SPRING 2024 Enrichment Partners

Chicago Children’s Theatre
Chicago Children’s Theatre (CCT) engages students' boundless creativity through imagination and encourages the practice of collaboration, both onstage and off. Led by experienced and enthusiastic teaching artists, CCT classes help students gain confidence and develop their artistic voices, while improving literacy skills and enhancing their cognitive, motor, and social skills.

• Drama - Pre-K Performers Acting: Good morning, Spring!
  Stop and smell the flowers with us! Through engaging multi-sensory drama and movement activities, you'll touch, smell, hear, and say hello to the plants and animals of spring. This playful class will support the development of fine and gross motor skills, communication skills, early childhood literacy, and blossoming creative spirit.

Mindful Little Movers

Mindful Little Movers is excited to bring ballet centric creative movement to the students at Park West! Welcome to our vibrant and enriching dance program designed especially for preschoolers! At our program, we believe in harnessing the power of rhythm, music, dynamic movement, placement, spatial awareness, correct alignment, teamwork, and focus to create an engaging and educational experience for our young dancers.

Join us as we embark on a rhythmic and music-filled adventure, teaching your child not just the art of dance, but also valuable life skills. With our holistic approach, your preschooler will thrive in an environment that celebrates creativity, self-expression, and the joy of dancing together.

Skip & Scoot
Kids Fitness Adventures: Kids love to move and that is exactly what they’ll do in this class! Your child will climb, balance, run, jump, crawl, and of course laugh along with peers in our signature “fitness through play” class! Guided by a Masters or Doctorate level teacher, your child will start each class with warm-up activities and movement songs, then take part in a number of physical games focused around teamwork, body strengthening, coordination, brain stimulation, problem solving, and cardio health. An obstacle course is always included and new obstacles are introduced each week to optimize physical skill exploration. Next, we cool down with calming yoga and stretches! Moving in these ways will allow your child to master crucial gross motor skills and improve body awareness/coordination while having fun! No adult participation necessary. Perfect for 3 years to 6 years.

Super Soccer Stars
Super Soccer Stars is an early childhood soccer development program. At Super Soccer Stars, dynamic coaches work with every student to develop skills, self-confidence, and teamwork in a fun, non-competitive environment. Positive reinforcement and low child-to-coach ratios ensure that each child will improve his or her soccer skills through engaging activities and games – all while having endless fun. Check out this flyer re: spring offerings at Park West!

Wolf Judo
Have your child learn the Japanese Olympic / Paralympic sport of Judo from an award winning staff of certified Black Belts. Over the last twenty five years Menomonee Judo has become one of the largest and most successful Judo clubs in the United States. The program has produced countless local, regional, national and international champions over the years. This includes a Paralympian at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and the club’s first Olympian at Tokyo 2020. The Menomonee Judo Club is led by Sensei Brett Wolf, a sixth degree Black Belt who was named the 2015 United States Olympic Committee Developmental Coach of the Year for all sports. Brett has been teaching Judo since 1993. Children will learn basic falling and wrestling techniques in a safe, fun and comfortable environment. Whether they want to hangout with their friends, become Judo champions or fulfill their dream of being a ninja, this is the program for them. Medals will be awarded at the end of the session.

The Write Group
Designed for 4-5 year olds in Junior Kindergarten, The Write Group incorporates handwriting practice, bodywork and sensory-motor activities to strengthen underlying components in order to support handwriting and fine motor performance. Each session explores different strategies that can be implemented to promote handwriting skills by targeting the postural system, visual system, dexterity, and spatial awareness. The program is led by an occupational therapist who is familiar with the developmental approach to learning and can support kids who may have challenges in this area.

Enrolled students attend on both Monday and Thursday from 12:00-1:00 pm. Detailed information about the program is in this document.

The cost of the 9 week session is $1,700 and can be billed to BSBS insurance. Families without BCBS can select to pay out of pocket $140/week. To enroll your child in The Write Group 9-week program, email admin@amyzier.com and ashley@parkwestcoop.org with your child’s name and class. The Amy Zier office will work with you on insurance billing and payment. If you would like to be connected with the AZA therapist running the program to discuss whether the Write Group is a good fit for your child, please email ashley@parkwestcoop.org.

BEFORE REGISTERING: a note about your child’s enrichment readiness

Enrichment programs are an exciting opportunity for children to explore activities and topics of interest to them and it’s a chance to spend more time at school with fellow classmates. Some kids will be absolutely excited to participate in one or all of the enrichment activities offered for their class. For other kids, coming to school is enough and enrichment may feel daunting or the class structure may not be of interest to them. 

It is always a great idea to check in with your child’s teacher ahead of signing up for enrichment so that they can offer their perspective and expertise on whether and which enrichment classes would be a good idea for your child. 

One indicator of being ready for enrichment would be independence in the bathroom for 4-Day and JK children. While enrichment partners are able to walk children to the bathroom, they can not assist inside of the bathroom. Park West staff is on hand to help if needed, but it may not always be as timely as warranted.

SCHEDULE & Registration Information

Spring Session: April 1 - May 31
*Registration will open March 4 and close March 20

**Click on the red name of the class to link to the registration page

4-DAY CLASS OFFERINGS

Spring Session: April 1 - May 31

Tuesdays 11:30 am - 12:10 pm
Art with The Paintbrush

Wednesdays 11:30 am - 12:10 pm
Drama with Chicago Children’s Theatre
OR
Judo with Wolf Judo

Thursdays 11:30 am - 12:10 pm
Soccer with Super Soccer Stars
*select “Location”: Park West Cooperative Nursery School*
OR
Creative Movement with Mindful Little Movers

Fridays 11:30 am - 12:10 pm
Kid Fitness Adventures with Skip & Scoot

Information for Enrolled Students

Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures

For 4-Day classes after the school day at Park West

Each enrichment class will exist as an additional ‘class’ your child is enrolled in in Remini. Park West staff will ‘move’ your child from their Park West class to their enrichment class in the building and in Remini. Students in enrichment will walk together with a Park West staff member to the class location (gym or multipurpose room). Please arrive promptly at the enrichment class dismissal time (12:10 pm) to pick up your child. Our queue line will not be run at this time, so you will need to park and walk up to the gate. You/your caregiver will need to check your child out in Remini by scanning the QR code at the gate. A Park West staff member will be available to help you collect your child from the enrichment class after it has been confirmed they have been checked out in Remini.

For JK classes before the school day at Park West

A Park West staff member will meet you at the gate to welcome your child to school. There will be no car queue for enrichment drop off. You must walk up to the gate with your child. The enrichment class teacher/coach will help students into the gym or multipurpose room for their class. At the end of class, the enrichment class teacher/coach will lead students to their Park West classroom.

For classes that students attend with a caregiver at Park West

You may arrive up to 5 minutes before class time. Please ring the bell at the gate and door to gain entry to the building.