Story Time in the Park
Join us for Story Time in the Park, all ages are welcome! Come and enjoy songs, a beautiful puppet show, and a read-aloud story with one of our beloved educators.
Upcoming
July 27th @ 10:30am — Tompkins Square Park with Ms. Margaret
August 1st @ 4:00pm— Tompkins Square Park with Ms. Jeannie
August 3rd @ 10:30am — Tompkins Square Park with Ms. Jeannie
August 3rd @ 4:00pm — Bleecker Street Playground with Ms. Jeannie
August 10th @ 10:30am — Tompkins Square Park with Ms. Margaret
August 17th @ 10:30am — Tompkins Square Park with Ms. Jane
August 17th @ 4:00pm — Tompkins Square Park with Ms. Jane
Meet Our Storytellers
Ms. Jeannie
Jeannie McGartland has been mentoring and teaching outdoor Waldorf education programs for the past 15 years. She grew up immersed in the natural world and followed that love of nature throughout her adult life and career. For the past two decades, Jeannie has been involved with the Vermont Wilderness School, most recently as the Youth Program Director of their Art of Mentoring conference, where she designs and leads programming for children ages 3-6. Jeannie also has a background in Waldorf education and is currently pursuing a Waldorf Early Childhood Teaching Certification at Sophia’s Hearth while concurrently earning her M.Ed. in Nature-Based Early Childhood Education at Antioch University. She brings her leadership skills, educational expertise, and passion for nature to our early childhood program as our Lead Kindergarten Teacher.
Ms. Margaret
Margaret Kenworthy grew up in the heart of Washington, D.C. and moved to New York City in March of 2019. She has always had a passion for teaching and working with children from all walks of life, and her vast experience as an educator includes teaching elementary grades in South Carolina, pioneering a gardening program for mixed-age students with hands-on fruit and vegetable harvesting, and teaching middle school in northern Thailand. In 2020, Margaret joined New Amsterdam to co-teach our mixed-age kindergarten outdoor program. We are excited to welcome her grounding presence, joyful demeanor, and passion for the outdoors to school. Margaret finds joy in volunteering in her community with non-profits and mentoring programs.
Ms. Jane
Jane Higgins grew up near Sydney, Australia in sun, mud, and weeds with rich opportunities to play freely. After an early career in the field of human rights and development, working for various international and Australian non-profit organizations, parenthood brought about a great shift. The rights, needs, and magical qualities of the youngest human beings really caught her attention. She has been a devoted early childhood educator in NYC for the past decade. Starting with the education of her own two sons she then became an organizer of local Brooklyn playgroups for 2-year-olds. Drawn towards Waldorf education she joined a beloved Waldorf-inspired playgroup run as a parent cooperative; first as a parent, then as an aftercare & an assistant teacher, and finally as a lead teacher (2017 - 2021).
Jane received her Waldorf training in Early Childhood from Sunbridge Institute in 2014. She also has a CELTA certification in teaching English Language Learning, a B.A (Literature and Film) from the University of New South Wales, Australia and M.A (International Relations) from the City College of NY. Jane finds time with young human beings fascinating, instructive, life-affirming, and at times very entertaining. She also enjoys travel, nature walks (especially with dogs), puppet shows, and mud pie cooking.