About Rosebud Playschool
Our School
At Rosebud Playschool, the magical nature of childhood is honored. We offer a space in which the young child feels empowered while simultaneously having the sense of being lovingly held and protected. The environment and our practices are based upon Ms. Zoë’s deep understanding of child development through both mainstream and anthroposophic/Waldorf lenses, stemming from 25 years of formal study and training as an Early Childhood Educator.
Each child and family is respected and received with non-judgmental warmth. Community is fostered through parent meetings, seasonal festivals, parent-teacher conferences, potlucks, and more.
Our Teacher
Ms. Zoë: Lead teacher and owner/director
Zoë has been working professionally with children and their families for over 20 years, including 8 years teaching and serving in leadership roles at the Asheville Waldorf School. She celebrates each child as a radiant being with their own unique destiny on Earth. Her desire is to nurture each individual’s gifts while supporting them to work through any hindrances to healthy development. Sharing in the pure presence that young children bring to every moment is her greatest joy. Zoë and her family love finding hidden swimming holes and exploring wild spaces together. In addition to her work with children, Zoë mentors Waldorf teacher trainees and new teachers throughout North Carolina.
A lifelong learner, Zoë has a strong foundation in understanding typical child development and has also studied the varied and diverse ways in which children may need extra support. She holds a B.Ed. in Child Development and Family Studies from UNC-CH, a Waldorf ECE teaching diploma from Sunbridge Institute, a certificate from Nurturing the Roots via The Denver Center for Anthroposophic Therapies, and is currently a graduate student at Antioch University in the Transdisciplinary Studies in Healing Education Masters Program. She has also studied trauma-informed pedagogy and art therapy through the Kairos Institute.
Our Program: Waldorf-inspired and nature-based
The primary needs of the young child are unhindered movement, nourishing sensory experiences, the freedom to engage in self-initiated play, and warm loving care and protection.
Important elements of the program include:
- Story brought through verbal telling, puppet shows, and play-acting
- Seasonal crafts and celebrations that connect us to the cycles of nature and the wheel of the seasons
- Shared mealtimes of organic, whole foods
- Sensory experiences with sand, water, mud, and other natural materials
- Intentional, respectful caring of the physical body: development of self-love and respect/care for others
- Artistic activities such as drawing, watercolor painting, clay modeling, plant dyeing, and crafting
- Practical work activities such as chopping vegetables, kneading dough, processing herbs, sewing, building fires, caring for domestic animals, and gardening
- Connection to nature through time in the forest in all seasons and weathers
- Modeling of kindness, empathy, reverence and gratitude
- Abundant opportunity to engage in the true work of early childhood: child-initiated/directed play
Location:
Located in Mars Hill, 2 minutes off 1-26 exit 11
20 minutes from West Asheville, NC
40 minutes from Johnson City, TN
Convenient to Marshall, Barnardsville, Weaverville, Woodfin, Asheville, Burnsville, and East Tennessee.
