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Community Corner

We love MAP and you will too!

Our families would like to share the wonderful experiences we had with the Medfield Afterschool Program, more commonly known as MAP.  We found that MAP beautifully complemented Medfield’s half-day kindergarten program, and provided a high quality, after-school environment where our children flourished. The expansion of full-day kindergarten in Medfield is welcome and will benefit many children and families.  We had such a positive experience utilizing the combination of our excellent schools and MAP that we hope other families will continue to consider this option.

Many years ago, our sons and daughters first attended MAP after their kindergarten classes at Memorial School, staying until the end of our work days.  They continued with MAP through elementary school, each year experiencing exciting new opportunities for creativity, social growth, and intellectual challenge.  With numerous, well-educated teachers, each MAP site offered an ever-changing variety of activities. At the K-1 MAP site, our children’s choices for the afternoon might have included a monster clay craft, an outdoor scavenger hunt, or an in-depth learning activity about whales.  Our children participated in plays, dances, and singing contests. We will never forget teacher Kurt Jackson’s crazy professor get-up and the many engaging experiments he did with our kids.  He’s still at it – check out the MAP website!   Children would eagerly anticipate the imaginative themes the staff would dream up to decorate and outfit the dramatic play area. We remember “Box World”, “Pirate Ship”, and “The Rain Forest”.  MAP’s creative teachers worked together to plan activities based on students’ interests and varied learning styles, forming special interest clubs.  Movie making, cooking, and music clubs were favorites.  MAP’s many group projects encouraged social interaction, cooperative learning and problem solving. Also provided was the necessary unstructured time for physical activity or recreation. While at work, we were happy knowing our children would be active outside, or in the gym, daily. Our boys and girls built friendships through playing soccer and Capture the Flag, as well as Jenga and Chess.

The MAP teachers, site directors and program director were exceptional professionals who loved their jobs. Many staff members who worked with our children years ago continue to work their magic at MAP: Annette, Meghan, Kurt, Trish, Michael, Stephanie and Greta.  Multiple teachers with different interests, strengths and styles were able to offer more to our children than would be possible with one teacher or child care provider. Each day, the caring teachers found time to talk and chat with us about our children.  Cherished bonds with MAP staffers continue. Several of our children now babysit the children of their beloved, former MAP teachers. 

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The community of MAP was, and continues to be, very special. We enjoyed the Heritage Family Dinners, where our children showcased their learning about a foreign country with performances, artwork and food. The friendships our children formed through MAP remained through high school, and continue today, in addition to our long-lasting adult/family friendships. 

MAP knows what it’s doing when it comes to children and they’ve been doing it well for 25 years. We believe that the enriching, hands-on experiences our children had at MAP contributed significantly to their academic achievement and overall well-being.  We encourage all families who are thinking about options for their kindergartners to consider MAP.  Ask around – MAPsters love to share!

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Sincerely,

Cathy and Mike Lyons, Kristina and Jeffrey Bunce, Theresa and Kerry Woods, Amy Wheeler, Paula Quatromoni, Allison Bryant, Geoffrey Narlee and Annette Zola, Kimberly and Dave MacDonald, Michael Gold, Steve Borkan, Paul and Joyce Mason, Laura Mills and Mark Smith, Maureen and Brad Clark, Russell and Wendy Eng

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