Marycruz Sanjuan
Director and lead teacher
Marycruz leads the school and the morning circle. She speaks Spanish and English with the children and with families, and she is the person to ask about a tour.
A Waldorf-inspired preschool in Pagosa Springs
Slow mornings, and a table that follows the seasons
Aspen Grove is a small preschool for children ages 3 to 5. Mornings keep a steady rhythm of circle, painting, baking and time outdoors, and our director speaks Spanish with the children and with families.
The seasonal table
Four seasons, one low table
A low table by the window holds what the season brings in. Children bring in what they find, and the songs, stories and handwork of the month follow along.
Fall
Acorns, golden leaves and a basket of apples fill the table in September and October. Children press leaves, sing harvest songs and bake bread on baking day.
Leaves and acorns to sort
Bread on baking day
Harvest songs at circle
Winter
Wool, felt and evergreen boughs replace the leaves. Children finger-knit, stir soup for snack and listen to winter stories while the snow falls outside.
Wool and felt
Soup for snack
Stories told by heart
Spring
Seedlings in eggshells and a jar of pussy willow arrive with the mud. Children plant seeds, water the herbs and watch what grows by the window.
Seeds and seedlings
Mud boots by the door
Songs for the returning birds
Early summer
Wildflowers, river stones and the first strawberries cover the table in May. We carry it outside for the spring garden festival with families.
Wildflowers in a jar
Stones from the river
Fruit for snack
Programs
Mornings for three- and four-year-olds
Pick the schedule that fits your week. Three- and four-year-olds share one room, with the same two adults all year.
| Ages | Adults to children | Group size | Three mornings8:30 am to 12:30 pm3 days | Four mornings8:30 am to 12:30 pm4 days | Long day8:30 am to 2:30 pm4 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three-year-olds3-year-oldsMost children begin with three mornings | 1 adult to 10 children | 20 | Offered | Offered | Not offered |
| Four-year-olds4-year-oldsSome turn five during the school year | 1 adult to 10 children | 20 | Offered | Offered | OfferedLunch from home |
Fees and what each is for
- Registration
- Covers the enrollment file and holds your child's place.
- Materials
- Pays for wool, beeswax, watercolors and the flour and fruit for baking day.
- Festivals
- Pays for the lanterns and the shared food at the fall and winter gatherings.
Children usually stay in the same group until they leave for kindergarten.
Sample programs.
Dates
The school year, month by month
Tours run through the fall and winter, applications open in January, and families hear from us in March.
This school year
Tours
October to April · One morning a month, while the children are at work. Children are welcome to come along.
Leaf gathering
October · Families join the children for harvest songs, bread and apple pressing.
Lantern walk
November · An evening walk with paper lanterns the children make.
Closed for winter break
Late December · We share the full list of closures at the start of the school year.
Applications open
January · The form takes a few minutes.
Families hear from us
March · By email and a phone call, with a place or a spot on the waitlist.
Spring garden festival
May · We carry the seasonal table outside and share a meal with families.
First day
Late August · New children start with a short visit alongside a parent.
Sample dates.
Safety and license
Who licenses us, and how we look after the morning
License
Licensed by CDEC
Child care center license · CO License # 000000Verify
Adults to children
1 adult to 10 children
3-year-olds
Group size: 20
1 adult to 10 children
4-year-olds
Group size: 20
Group size
Up to 20 children
with 2 adults
Ages 3 years to 5 years
Staff checks and training
- Background checks
- CPR and first aid
- Mandated reporter training
- Food handler training
Safety routines
Arrival and pickup
A teacher greets every child at the door and signs them in. At pickup a child goes only with the people on your list, and we ask for ID at the door until we know you.
Allergies and snacks
Tell us about allergies at the tour; we ask privately once you enroll. We ask families not to send nuts, and snack is prepared at the table with the children.
Cold mornings
Children dress in layers, and the boots and snow pants hang by the door. On very cold or icy mornings outdoor time is shorter or moves indoors, and we message families early if the school closes.
Outdoors and headcounts
An adult is with the children whenever they are outside. We count heads each time the group moves between the room, the garden and the trail, and a first aid kit goes along.
When a child is ill
A child with a fever or a contagious illness stays home. If a child becomes ill at school, we call you right away and a teacher stays close until you arrive.
Ask us about child care assistance
Sample details.
The team
The two adults in the morning group
Six adults work at Aspen Grove. Two lead the morning group, and the director speaks Spanish with the children and with families.
Sahana Menezes
Teacher for painting and handwork
Sahana leads painting day and handwork, and she takes the children out to the garden and the trail behind the school.
Questions
What families ask us
What ages and hours do you serve?
We welcome children ages 3 to 5. Three- and four-morning schedules run 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, and the long day runs 8:30 am to 2:30 pm on four days a week. The school is closed on Fridays.
How does a tour work?
Tours run one morning a month from October to April, while the children are at work. A tour takes about an hour. You see the room and the seasonal table, meet the teachers and ask anything you like. Children are welcome to come along.
What sets tuition?
Your child's schedule and the days a week. We do not print tuition on this site; we go through the figures on a tour.
Is the school licensed, and what are the ratios?
Yes. The school is licensed by CDEC, Colorado's child care agency.
Who speaks Spanish with the children?
Marycruz, our director, speaks Spanish with the children and with families who prefer it, and circle includes songs and verses in Spanish. The rest of the room works in English.
What about photos of my child?
We ask your written permission before we share any photo of your child, on this site, in newsletters or on social media, and you can change your answer at any time. We never put a child's name with a photo, and the photos on this site are examples until we replace them with our own.
Come and sit in on a morning
Tours run one morning a month from October to April, while the children are at work. Book one, or call the school and we will find a time that works.