A boy plays in the open-air courtyard at Ascension Day School. Photo by Kate Bear.
Parents, students, teachers and administrators at Ascension Day School are celebrating 15 years pouring love and learning into children on the campus of Episcopal Church of the Ascension. They’ll mark the anniversary on Aug. 10 with a special “Blessing of the Backpacks” ceremony at the 10:30 a.m. service in the church sanctuary.
The church opened the school in 2010 as a community outreach mission and parent’s day out with fewer than ten children, but organizers quickly saw the program’s potential. The next year they rebooted, hiring Renee Barfoot as director and filling two classrooms with busy little sponges ready to learn through play. In 2013 the school was licensed and named Ascension Day School.
“My philosophy of teaching is to let a kid be a kid,” says Kate Bear, who is beginning her ninth year as ADS director. “Ages zero through five are key, and we teach each child a love for learning. We instill that in them for as many years as we have the gift of teaching them.”
Step inside the door of ADS, and you’re not really stepping inside at all. The secure front entrance leads into a wide, sunny courtyard, where each classroom has floor-to-ceiling glass looking out over lush green grasses and colorful crepe myrtles. Butterflies flutter and squirrels frolic while children squeal with laughter. Their play appears spontaneous, but Bear says it’s all part of the plan.
“Our focus is play-based learning, so you’re not going to see our students sitting at a table with a pencil and a worksheet. Research shows that kids from birth through age five should be actively engaged in an activity and building on that,” says Bear, who has a degree in speech pathology and a master’s in special education. “We have a weekly theme, with lots of STEM activities, building with blocks and creating projects. We have three playgrounds — one for smaller children, one for bigger kids, plus the courtyard space.”
ADS has a knack for retaining its teachers, who say they love the facility’s big windows and natural light and often move the children out into the courtyard for lessons or snack time. Bear enjoys strolling through to observe lunch or circle time through the windows without physically interrupting, and siblings or cousins get a kick out of spotting each other through the glass.
Finding small items hidden in pebbles and sand helps children with grasping and gripping. Photo by Kate Bear.
ADS uses a curriculum called Learning Without Tears, and one focus is helping little fingers master grasping and gripping tasks long before they pick up a pencil. Kathy Wendling is on the staff at ADS and serves on the Day School Board. She’s also a retired Richardson ISD librarian and gifted-student teacher at Moss Haven and Stults Road Elementary schools.
“We have all sorts of sensory bins filled with sand, pebbles and Styrofoam balls to hide dinosaurs, animals or whatever goes with the week’s theme,” she says. “The kids also use big tweezers to pick up tiny sponges and other objects. They are using those little fingers and all different senses to learn about and discover the world around them.”
Wendling tutors elementary students after school, and she often sees older kids struggle to master handwriting. Bad habits, she says, are difficult to unlearn. She appreciates the ADS focus on “specials,” where master’s level teachers lead music & movement, art, physical education, library and chapel. Spanish will be added this year. The team is preparing their charges for the day they will enter elementary school.
“Building a child’s self-esteem and understanding of how it feels to be a good friend is huge,” says Bear. “When you go from a small classroom to a big classroom, can you raise your hand and ask to go to the bathroom? Can you open the string cheese mom packed in your lunch? Do you have the confidence to ask for help? We work on building self-esteem, character, leadership and confidence.”
ADS has continued to grow each year, and this summer they’ve had construction crews on site once again. They’ll add a new spot for 12-month-olds in August, and next fall they’ll open a kindergarten class — their ninth classroom.
“It’s exciting to be growing, because we often have a waiting list and have to turn down great families,” says Bear. “It’s been a goal to add back a 12-month classroom, and I’m so pleased we’ll accomplish that goal this summer. We added turf to the small playground and adapted our safety protocols for non-walkers.”
Children ride scooters in the sunny courtyard at ADS. Photo by Carol Toler.
Like many schools, ADS has experienced challenges — especially during the era of COVID-19. Toddlers tend to share their germy fingers and runny noses, so keeping them safe during a pandemic might have seemed a monumental task. ADS, though, was uniquely built for the challenge. Since classrooms empty into a courtyard and not long, crowded hallways, children were exposed only to their small pod, leaving parents able to work.
ADS is one of the smallest schools in Lake Highlands, with current enrollment of 80. They have a 9-week summer program, and their school year follows the RISD calendar. You may inquire about enrollment here.
The Blessings of the Backpacks will take place Sunday, Aug. 10, and all current and former ADS students are encouraged to attend. After the service, students and their families are invited to enjoy an ice cream bar in the air-conditioned Parish Hall.
Ascension Day School is inside Episcopal Church of the Ascension, 8787 Greenville Avenue.
Long before they hold a pencil, children need to practice controlling their fingers through play, Bear says.
