Rockwood Early Childhood Education

We are proud to recognize Mr. Carter as this year’s Mary Wanzel Award Winner.

This award honors an educator who exemplifies outstanding commitment, strong relationships, and dedication to the mission of Rockwood Early Childhood - and Mr. Carter truly embodies it all.

Known and loved by children across the program, he brings comfort, joy, and a sense of belonging wherever he goes. Through his work with our learners, he shows patience, empathy, and celebrates every child’s growth, ensuring each student feels safe, valued, and supported.

Mr. Carter is a dependable teammate and a trusted presence for families, making a lasting impact on our entire community. Thanks for choosing to be with us at REC - Mr. Carter!!

We are endlessly grateful for have a partnership with VJ Mancuso Memorial Fund!

Congratulations to the Parent Educator of the Year - Ms. Anne Hewlett!

We are excited to share that the 2025-2026 Rockwood Parent Educator of the Year is… ANNE HEWLETT! 🎉

Anne is a lifelong learner, passionate, hardworking, and deeply committed to the families she serves. She builds meaningful, lasting connections and is always ready to collaborate as a true team player.

One of her nominations read:
“Anne’s visits are not only informative but also uplifting. She brings encouragement, reassurance, and expertise into our home in a way that feels natural and supportive. We absolutely adore her and are so grateful for the impact she has had on our family.”

Congratulations, Anne! Your dedication and heart make a lasting difference every single day. ❤️

Happy School Nurse Appreciation Day to the amazing nurses here at REC who care for our students with kindness, patience, and compassion every single day!

Our school nurses do so much more than care for bumps and bruises — they help our students feel safe, healthy, and ready to learn. Thank you for all you do to support our superstars, staff, and families!

Pictured: Nurse Val, Nurse Jill, Nurse Jessica, Nurse Angie, & Nurse Karen
Not Pictured: our screening team nurses - Stacia, Jackie, & Karen

What an unforgettable night at our Celebration of Nations that took place back on April 24.

A HUGE thank you to our amazing volunteers and the families who made it all possible, your dedication and teamwork truly knocked it out of the park! Because of you, we welcomed over 330 attendees, making this our biggest turnout ever!

This event was a beautiful reminder of what makes our community so special, celebrating our diverse traditions while coming together as one!

We’re rolling out a HUGE thank you to our amazing bus drivers!

Rain or shine, they safely transport our superstars with smiles, patience, and care each and every day. We’re so thankful to have them on our team!

Happy Administrative Assistants Day!

Today we celebrated our amazing team of administrative assistants that support across all three of our centers. Each one of them keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes, welcoming families with a smile, and supporting our staff and students in countless ways! They truly do it all!

At REC we are so grateful for this team’s hard work and dedication to our program each and every day, we couldn’t do it without them!

Pictured: Ms. Nila, Ms. Lori, Ms. Karen, Ms. Jill, Ms. Denise, Ms. Jennifer, & Ms. Jen
Non Pictured: Ms. Melissa

Our schoolwide mural at our Vandover Center came to life one smile at a time! Superstars created their own unique smiley face, coming together to form a bright, joyful masterpiece that represents our entire community at Vandover.

Every smile tells a story - of creativity, belonging, and the happiness that fills our halls each day!

Favorite Outfit & Family Fun Games wrapped up our final day of in the best way possible!

Our superstars had a blast celebrating all week, so it was only fitting to end with some of their favorite games to play with friends and family. From Candy Land to Don’t Break the Ice to Hungry Hungry Hippos and everything in between, Mrs. Meaghan’s class enjoyed it all! Board games are a fun way to build social skills like turn-taking, teamwork, and persistence as children play from start to finish.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Tonkovic’s class brought the energy with an exciting animal movement game! Using creativity and imagination, children acted out animals - hopping, slithering, stomping, and soaring - while their friends guessed who they were. This playful experience supported language development, strengthened gross motor skills, and encouraged imaginative thinking.

What a fun-filled way to celebrate a week of learning, laughter, and play!

Artsy Thursday & Mix Match Clothes for Day 4 of

Our superstars let their personalities shine as they rocked their wacky outfits and brought their feelings to life through art! Using a variety of materials, they transformed simple smiley faces into unique masterpieces that showed off their artsy side!

From bright, happy colors to bold, expressive designs, each creation told its own story. Along the way, students practiced fine motor skills through coloring, cutting, and gluing, while also building language by describing how they feel and why they chose certain colors!

This activity encouraged flexible thinking, decision-making, and collaboration as our superstars explored how art can be a powerful way to express who we are!

Check back in a few days to see our Vandover Center Mural come to life!