JACK-BE-NIMBLE PRE-SCHOOL 
by Donna Buck
I operated Jack-Be-Nimble Pre-School for three years, starting in the fall of 1970. The school was for four and five year olds, and operated in the United Church Hall from early October to the end of April. The object of the school was primarily to offer the children an opportunity to socialize and share with a larger group of children; secondarily, it was to learn through fun and games.
PLAY SCHOOL CLASS 1970-71
LEFT TO RIGHT: Leonard Uchman, Trevor Roszell, Denise Maas, Michael Habiak,
Jeffrey Buck, Bradley Buck, Laura Golberg, Laura Fedorus,
Michelle Fedorus, Margaret St,ldan, Tracey Stewart, Doris Wenzel.
MISSING: Leonard Ellis, Kris Ann Maas.
I made my daily plans along this schedule:
9:00-9:10 Free Play
9:10-9:30 Science experiments or conversation
9:30-10:00 Rhymics
10:00-10:20 Lunch and Bathroom
10:20-10:30 Rest
10:30-10:45 Outside Play
10:45-11:00 Crafts
11:00-11:15 Numbers, verses, etc.
11:15-11:30 Story and Discussion
11:30 Dismissal
PLAYSCHOOL 1971-72
BACK ROW, Left to Right Laura Fedorus, Kiran Takhar, Laurie Shmyr, Rhonda Golberg
FRONT ROW: Leonard Uchman, Gary Grykuliak, Bradley Buck, Kris Ann Maas, Dwayne Sheplawy, Chris Anderson
MISSING Paulette Smith, Tova Hellquist, Leonard Ellis, Benny Smith.
I set up different activity centers i. e., kitchen area with play stove, fridge, table, cupboard, etc.; craft area with large table and supplies; building area with good supply of scrap lumber, nails, screws, and tools; puppet stage; huge boxes for children to crawl into as forts; hula hoops; etc.
There were a lot of times when the children would gather and prepare a play to put on, a puppet show, or stage a wedding, etc. This would happen in their free time and I could really see their imaginations opening up. Even though I always had a daily plan several times when the children would arrive they would get busy at an activity center so I would just leave them to their free play which sometimes would take all morning. It was always amazing to me how constructive and educational this type of play can be.
When a kindergarten opened up in the school under the Department of Education there was no longer a need for this school.
PLAYSCHOOL CLASS 1972-73
BACK ROW, Left to Right: Michael Palamarek, Steven Watson, Dwayne Sheplawy, Malcalm Palamarek, Donna Buck (leader).
FRONT ROW' Minnie Takhar, Terry Anderson, Cathy Goly, Carmen Guylayec, Anna Fedorus, Deanna Sheppard.
MISSING: Kari Anderson, Tracy Heathcote.
