Bartram Academy, an eco-friendly childcare learning center, opened their doors in August 2012 in St Johns County. The owners, Kelly and Roger Giddens, started an in home childcare in 2006.
Bartram Academy is a family owned business that is located off Racetrack Road by the Bartram Springs community. Since opening, the school has had a growing waiting list and thus began the planning of an expansion that would more than double enrollment. The expansion is planned to open in August of 2015. With the expansion, Bartram Academy is helping to create an additional two dozen jobs in St. Johns County.
A few things that set Bartram Academy apart from other facilities are their healthy food options, eco-friendly practices, 100% state inspections, smaller child-to-teacher ratios, and their Reggio Emilia inspired program.
The Reggio Emilia philosophy is based on principles of respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery. The Reggio Emilia approach is project oriented. Children work in small groups for days, weeks, and even months on a particular task or project.
Consistent with the philosophy of schooling for multiple intelligences, the approach calls for the use of arts as tools for cognitive, linguistic, and social development. Print, art, construction, drama, music, gardening, and more are used in guiding children’s understanding of lessons and experiences.
The school serves only organic/all natural, fresh/fresh-frozen foods containing no dyes, high fructose corn syrup, or partially hydrogenated oils. The school won the Green Business of the Year in 2013 with the US Green Building Council. A children’s book, My Eco Healthy School, by Kate Krusely featured Bartram Academy as an up and coming early childhood learning movement.
Bartram Academy will be having a Grand Opening and ribbon cutting on Saturday August 8th from 10 am to 1 pm and will be open to the public.
