HONORING AN ICON!
Mrs. Linda Champagne, our esteemed Early Childhood (EC) teacher of 28 years, is truly a Tatnall icon. From music to art, to physical education, Mrs. Champagne has brightened the lives of countless little ones who have come through Early Childhood during their most formative years. Students to parents alike have expressed their deepest gratitude for the warm and delightful leadership Mrs. Champagne brings to her classes. For nearly 3 decades, Mrs. Champagne has remained a fervent advocate, always elevating our work and reputation. In honor of Mrs. Champagne's remarkable legacy at Tatnall, we would like to elevate a space that she loves and cherishes.
LET'S GROW TOGETHER!
Our vision is to cultivate a lifelong connection between children and nature by creating garden spaces where young minds can grow, explore, and thrive. These gardens will serve as places of discovery, nurturing environmental stewardship, healthy living, and community connection.
We are in the early stages of bringing this vision to life in the EC (for students ages 2-4) — laying the groundwork to design, fund, and build these transformative spaces. Your support will shape the future of this project and make it a reality.
Goals:
- Embrace nutrition as an essential early childhood experience at Tatnall.
- Cultivate citizenship through shared environmental responsibility.
- Model excellence in early childhood programming through active and integrated learning experiences.
Did you know?
Before coming to Tatnall Mrs. Champagne was an ICU nurse! That is one of the reasons she emphasizes health so much in her classrooms (ex. Slow Foods vs. Go Foods).
Why are donations necessary?
There are many features under consideration for inclusion in The Early Childhood Gardens to create a space for growth, learning, and play. Some of the ideas we are floating around are:
- Raised garden beds for planting and growing vegetables.
- Sensory pathways with different textures like sand, grass, and stones.
- Composting areas to teach sustainability.
- A butterfly garden or pollinator habitat.
- A small greenhouse for year-round gardening.
- An herb garden with aromatic plants for sensory exploration.
- A weather station for learning about climate and seasons.
- A water conservation feature to teach sustainability.
- A community mural or art wall for children's creative expression.
- A fairy garden that instills a sense of imagination, wonder, and creativity.
- A "bug hotel" or observation station for learning about insects.
Thank you!
We couldn't be more excited about the potential this program has for engaging our youngest students in the Tatnall core values of curiosity, perseverance, and citizenship, and how beautifully it aligns with our curricular outcomes. Thank you for supporting our dreams, sustaining our future, and showing your support in honor of Mrs. Champagne.