PPP anniversary

On Sunday, May 1, Piedmont Progressive Preschool celebrated its 20th anniversary with a campus event open to all who have been part of the school over the years. Events included food, a variety of fun activities and a silent auction.

The school has been housed at Piedmont UU Church since 2002, when it was organized by member and parent Susan Burns and Mary Coppola, an early childhood educator. PPP, as the preschool is commonly called, is an independent school that is not managed by Piedmont UU but has a close relationship with the church. The preschool’s values regarding the education of young children are compatible with UU values. The vision for the preschool was that it be neither for-profit nor religious, and that it promote freedom of thought and action for young children. PPP provides an early childhood curriculum for children ages 2 to 5 that is noted for its emphasis on developmentally appropriate activities and much outside activity, both on its carefully planned playground and the wooden trails of the Piedmont campus.

The school was impacted, as were all schools, by COVID, having to close during the spring and fall semesters of 2021. It reopened in January 2021 with a small number of children and carefully prepared health and safety guidelines, then bounced back with summer camps in the summer of 2021 and a full enrollment of 30 plus children and families in September.

Parents serving on the Parent Council each year put their hearts and their time into support of this nurturing environment for their children and future children of PPP. Michele Deese has now served as director of the school for ten years and has also been a lead teacher. Some of the teachers have been with the school for many years.

Members of Piedmont UU can take pride in having a school of this caliber operating on its campus that is providing a valuable service to both young children and parents. It is a very fine use of church space!

Anne Laukaitis
Piedmont UU Liaison to PPP