Believe in mariposas.
Early learning is important and magical.
Child-led learning
Teachers support young learners in child-directed play. Children are encouraged to learn at their own pace and in ways that fit them best. Each month our learning environments change to support a new theme. Interests and imaginations are stimulated by engaging and age-appropriate classrooms.
Skill-building
Early learning skills are woven into hours of play and activities. Important skills include: early literacy, listening, attention span, fine motor practice, early math and communication.
Cultivating Kindness
Our top priority is to help children live life respecting themselves and others. We practice conflict resolution daily. Teamwork is not always easy, but children realize the benefits. They build resilience and empathy through practice - playing, creating, and exploring with their peers.
Meet our Team
Brook Landers, M.A.
Co-Owner/Director
Lead Bilingual Teacher
B.A. Spanish, B.A. Elementary Art Education
Masters in Teaching, National Board Certified Spanish Teacher, ELL-certified
Brook’s love of learning has taken her all over the world. She has studied art and Spanish in Spain, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Mexico for more than three years in residence. She has worked as a teacher of early learners in Mexico and Costa Rica and volunteered in other Spanish-speaking countries. She will forever be drawn to new places in this world and naturally gravitate toward learning alongside the most vibrant learners - our children. Brook will rotate between classes to add Spanish language learning to each child's day, teaching Spanish through song, dance, games, stories, and other activities. We start with small amounts of input and grow throughout the year.
Jody Penick
Lead Teacher
Teacher Jody has 17 years teaching experience at Through the Garden Gate Preschool. She has helped many children transition into the early preschool experience and work through separation anxiety. With over 120 hours of Early Childhood classes and workshops and her experience running child-led, play-based learning programs, Jody is an invaluable part of our school.
Derek Smith, Ph.D.
Co-Owner/STEM Enrichment
B.A. Marine Biology, M.S. Zoology, Ph.D. Biology
NSF Fellow in K-12 Communicating Ocean Sciences
Derek brings a child-like sense of wonder to the classroom, having spent much of his life in far-flung places conducting and supporting marine research. Spending a lot of time under the surface of the Salish Sea, he feels a profound connection to saltwater and everything in it, especially in the Pacific Northwest. Formerly the STEM Director for the San Juan Island School District, he has mentored early learners through high school seniors developing diverse STEM skill sets to be better prepared for today's world.
Programs
September - June Morning Sessions
Calendar generally follows the Anacortes School District calendar
Maximum 10 students per group
Includes minimum of 1hr/day of Spanish language acquisition
Students must be able to use the toilet at school
| Session A | Session B |
|---|---|
| Late 2 and 3 year-olds 8:30am - 12:30pm 2, 3, 4, or 5 day attendance |
4 and early 5 year-olds 9:00am - 1:00pm 3, 4, or 5 day attendance |
A Glimpse Into Our Schedule
Knowing what comes next helps early learners feel safe and secure. Our routines evolve throughout the year as children gain interpersonal skills and independence. We often transition between stages of our routine with songs. Here is an example of a morning at Oruguitas:
Session A
| 8:30am | ¡Hola! ¡Buenos días! Meet in the courtyard with Teacher Jody and Teacher Brook Flush and wash |
| 9:00am | Inside child-led, teacher-facilitated play in purposefully prepared environments |
| 10:00am | Circle time - Bilingual |
| 10:15am | Group picnic time - story read-aloud and conversation |
| 10:45am | Outside child-led, teacher-facilitated play in fenced-in natural space surrounding school |
| 11:45am | Circle time - English |
| 12:30pm | ¡Adios! ¡Hasta pronto! |
Session B
| 8:45am | ¡Hola! ¡Buenos días! Gather in the courtyard with Teacher Brook Flush and wash |
| 9:15am | Outside child-led, teacher-facilitated play in fenced-in natural space surrounding school |
| 10:15am | Circle time - Bilingual |
| 10:45am | Group picnic time - story read-aloud and conversation |
| 11:30am | Inside child-led, teacher-facilitated play in purposefully prepared environments |
| 12:15pm | Circle time - Bilingual |
| 1:00pm | ¡Adios! ¡Hasta pronto! |
Tuition
Registration Fee (one-time for all Oruguitas programs, non-refundable):
$100/family
Last Month Tuition (applied to last month in attendance, non-refundable, see Parent Handbook for details):
Due upon registration
| Schedule | Tuition (per child) |
|---|---|
| 5 days | $510/mo |
| 4 days | $445/mo |
| 3 days | $375/mo |
| 2 days | $305/mo |
Summer Puente Program
“Puentes”, or bridges in English, are extremely helpful to us humans. Our 8-Week Summer Puente Program offers children and families consistency through the summer. As an extension of our September-June bilingual preschool program, the Puente Program incorporates bilingual Spanish language sessions, exploratory art workshops, and child-directed play stations both indoors and outdoors.
Maximum 10 students per group
Students must be able to use the toilet at school
| 8-Week Summer Session July 1st - August 23rd, 2024 (no class July 4th) |
|---|
| 3 to 5 year-olds 8:30am - 12:00pm 2, 3, 4, or 5 day attendance No concurrent enrollment with 1-Week Summer Camps |
Tuition
Registration Fee (one-time for all Oruguitas programs, non-refundable):
$100/family
Deposit (non-refundable):
Half tuition due at registration
Remaining balance paid before on June 30th.
| Schedule | Tuition (per child) | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days | $1000/8-Week Session | $500 |
| 4 days | $870/8-Week Session | $435 |
| 3 days | $730/8-Week Session | $365 |
| 2 days | $590/8-Week Session | $295 |
Summer Camps
Each week of afternoon summer camp revolves around an engaging theme that permeates our language and art experiences. Children may join for one week of camp or any combination of weeks.
Maximum 10 students per group
Students must be able to use the toilet at school
No concurrent enrollment with 8-Week Summer Puente Program
| June 24th - 28th 9:00am - 1:00pm 3 to 5 year-olds Papel : Paper All aspects of paper-making are important to our school experience, from the trees we climb to the books we read. We will explore different kinds of paper and make our own. |
| July 15th - 19th 1:00pm - 4:00pm 4 and 5 year-olds Mapas : Maps City plans, trail maps, marine charts and hints to hidden treasure. We will turn into mariposas that view the world from the sky. We will work with diverse existing maps as well as create our own. |
| August 12th - 16th 1:00pm - 4:00pm 4 and 5 year-olds Impresión : Printing From hand stamps with slimy finger-paint to block printing, we will make our mark. This week can stand alone or be combined with the other weeks. Printing goes well with paper, maps, textiles, and books! |
| August 19th - 23rd 1:00pm - 4:00pm 4 and 5 year-olds Libros : Books Books are windows into other worlds as well as mirrors. Students benefit from seeing themselves in books they admire. We will explore all kinds of books from chapter to pop-up. Each child will create their own book by the end of the week through the Oruguitas Publishing Company. |
| August 26th - 30th 9:00am - 1:00pm 3 to 5 year-olds Textiles : Textiles This week will be a creative explosion of texture and color. We will weave and even apply basic sewing techniques to different papers and fabrics. |
Tuition
Registration Fee (one-time for all Oruguitas programs, non-refundable):
$100/family
Camp tuition due at registration (non-refundable)
| Schedule | Tuition (per child) |
|---|---|
| June 24th - 28th 9:00am - 1:00pm |
$220/session |
| July 15th - 19th 1:00pm - 4:00pm |
$175/session |
| August 12th - 16th 1:00pm - 4:00pm |
$175/session |
| August 19th - 23rd 1:00pm - 4:00pm |
$175/session |
| August 26th - 30th 9:00am - 1:00pm |
$220/session |
Domingos de Español
Domingos de Español Sessions are held on Sundays for a year-long cycle, and a child can join at any time. Our first class will be held on September 10th 2023! We play, dance, and create in an immersion environment. This program is much more teacher-led than our preschool program. It should be noted that we recommend Domingos be coupled with a research based, age-appropriate, child-led, play-based preschool program. Domingos is a beautiful way to enrich a child's weekly learning experience and sow the seeds of bilingualism. The Hola Amigo materials inspire early literacy and play in Spanish. Children take home resources to continue learning throughout the week. Repetition is key to language learning. We hope to build the program as our students grow into the elementary school years. Our goal is to offer children opportunities to continue acquiring language post preschool. Contact us for special rates for students enrolled in the Oruguitas weekly preschool program and for special rates for siblings enrolling together.
Here's one curriculum we use to support learning: Llamitas Spanish Curriculum
Check out one of the support resources used in class: Hola Amigo
Maximum 10 students per group
Students must be out of diapers at school
| Sunday Schedule |
|---|
| 10:00am - 12:00pm (3 year-olds to 5 year-olds) |
| Seasonal Calendar | Class Dates |
|---|---|
| Fall Quarter | September: 10th, 17th, 24th October: 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th November: 5th, 12th, 19th |
| Winter Quarter | December: 3rd, 10th, 17th January: 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th February: 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th |
| Spring Quarter | March: 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24rd April: 14th, 21st, 28th May: 5th, 12th, 19th |
| Summer Quarter | June: 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd July: 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th August: 4th, 11th, 18th |
Tuition
Registration Fee (one-time for all Oruguitas programs, non-refundable):
$100/family
Seasonal Tuition:
$450 tuition paid before start on September 1st, on December 1st, March 1st, June 1st.
| Schedule | Tuition (per child) |
|---|---|
| Year-long on Sundays | $450/quarter |
'Oruguitas is a true blessing, providing an environment where children can safely and creatively learn, play, explore, and express themselves as they grow and develop into kids! Our son is welcomed by a staff of caring and considerate individuals who are conscious of a child's growth (to include all the up's and down's!) and are inspired in their work, and that directly feeds into the atmosphere in which the children thrive' - Carl E.
Over the last nearly two years at Oruguitas Bilingual School, I've loved watching my daughter blossom into a confident learner who eagerly takes on new challenges and isn’t afraid to get a little messy along the way. We feel so grateful to have this wonderful school in our community! - Kimberly M.
Oruguitas has provided our family with an incredible preschool experience. We truly couldn't have wished for a more inviting and nurturing environment for our children. Brook has spun pure magic here, crafting a delightful world where kiddos can learn, explore, and blossom! - Lesley B.
Thank you Brook Landers for inspiring multilinguism and beuatiful art at your amazing Oruguitas preschool! Believe in mariposas! - Morgan L.
'“Brook and her team have been nothing short of incredible for our preschooler. Whether playing knee-deep in mud, singing songs in Spanish or needing extra attention on hard days, Oruguitas is all we hoped for and needed in a preschool.” - Maggie and Elizabeth
Las Orugitas is an amazing school with excellent teachers and a nurturing environment. My son has thrived in the fun and enriching facility which is filled with neat toys and tons of outdoor activities. He loves learning Spanish words and is proud of all the new skills he discovers. We are delighted that he feels safe, loved, and supported by Teachers Brook, Jodi, and Rachel and couldn’t think of a better place for him to be. Gracias! - Elizabeth S.
We have loved how Orugitas teaches our kids practical skills while also illuminating their imaginations to think outside the box. - Sonja K.