Our Founder and Director, Lista Vergith, graduated from the LifeWays North America early childhood training program in May of 2014. She has a wealth of early childhood experience from working in daycares, teaching preschool, working as an aide in a Waldorf Kindergarten, homeschooling and raising her three amazing children as a single parent. Lista is a passionate teacher, lover of music and community gatherings, and is she is so pleased to be able to offer this program to families in the Red Lodge area.

Dear interested families,

Our society is becoming more and more complex, impersonal and fast-paced. Often, care environments for the young child reflect these traits and take on an “institutionalized” feeling. Teachers that barely know the children in their care, over-stimulating classrooms, and large groups of same-age children all contribute to great stress for the child. While our society changes rapidly, many recent studies on the development of the young child have concluded that what the child needs most are nurturing relationships. When a child feels safe and cared for, he can move forward with confidence to learn about the world. And so, at Mountain Bluebells our goal is to create a haven for children where they are nurtured, loved and allowed to be themselves.

It’s from this place of security and warmth that the child begins his journey of learning discovery. And what a journey it is! At Mountain Bluebells, we know that children learn best from real-life experiences. Just what is a child learning as he helps his teacher bake muffins or fold the laundry? Measuring, counting, following directions, nutrition, sorting, color recognition, the process of following a task through to completion, and language skills, to name a few! We will spend our days playing, learning songs and stories, working and practicing healthy self-care. We believe that it is in this environment that children truly thrive.

It is important to us that, together with you, we form a partnership of care for your child. Our goal is to be your child’s home away from home. Please read on for an overview of our curriculum.

Warmly,
​Miss Lista

Our curriculum
 

Our rich, whole-child curriculum is inspired by Waldorf education and rooted in the principles and practices of LifeWays North America. In LifeWays early childhood education, great care is taken to provide children with a gentle transition between home and school life—a transition that nurtures and protects the physical and emotional development of each child and fosters wonder, joy and a life­long love of learning. Mountain Bluebells provides a warm and beautiful home-like environment where children learn through creative and imaginative play and teacher-led experiences that reflect their developmental needs. The young child learns by doing and imitation. We create a daily rhythm that flows between social and individual activities and satisfies the need for both active and quiet play. The teacher leads circle time, games, seasonal songs and artistic activities, creating a soothing daily and weekly rhythm for the children and providing the foundation for lifelong learning.

Here are some components to our everyday curriculum:
  • A warm, beautiful home-like environment with open-ended play-things made of natural materials, which inspire creative free play and help to develop creative thinking and decision-making for the primary years and beyond.
  • Songs and nursery rhymes which cultivate intimacy with language and the world of words.
  • Rich oral storytelling which nourishes the powers of imagination, memory, listening and pre-reading skills.
  • Counting games and rhythmic activities which build a solid foundation for arithmetic and number skills.
  • Handwork such as painting, baking, and modeling which help the children develop small motor skills, coordination, and the ability to concentrate.
  • Vigorous outdoor play which develops gross motor coordination and an awareness of the wonder and rhythms of nature
  • A daily, weekly and yearly rhythm which offers predictability, gives the children a sense of security and an understanding of the logical sequence of daily events, and builds a deeper connection with the seasonal rhythms of nature.
Here are some materials from LifeWays for further reading:
LifeWays Basic Practices
LifeWays Principles of Caring for Children

Learn more about the healthy, home-cooked food we serve at Mountain Bluebells:
Mountain Bluebells Menu

Our school
We believe that to build a healthy and sustainable school, which is an asset to the community, it takes a village. Therefore, Mountain Bluebells is a 501(c)3 non-profit and will require the efforts of all interested families and community members to succeed. Our school was founded by our lead teacher, Lista Vergith, and is governed by a board of directors. Mountain Bluebells endeavors to include all families drawn to its educational approach, regardless of financial circumstance. We are committed to fundraising for a healthy scholarship fund for those in need.