RF woman begins preschool program from Clifton home

By Sue Odegard

Setting up a preschool program in her home has been keeping Mary Gribble more than occupied of late.

The 34-year-old Eden Prairie, Minn., native is in the process of becoming state licensed to operate the business from her town of Clifton residence located 6 miles south of River Falls.

"I want to establish a preschool program where the children will experience hands-on learning and are exposed to age-appropriate concepts to facilitate growing awareness of numbers, letters, shapes, and colors," Gribble said. "Children will learn by active exploration, manipulation and creative experiences."

Gribble graduated from Eden Prairie High School in 1982. She earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education at UW-River Falls in 1987. She has taken graduate courses in early childhood education. For 8 years she taught 2nd grade in Wayzata, Minn.

For the past 4 years, Gribble has done day care in her home. She and her husband, Phil, who teaches elementary school in Apple Valley, Minn., moved to River Falls 18 months ago. They have two children: Hanna, 4 1/2, and Graden, 2.

Gribble plans to open Country Goose Preschool this fall. Limiting her class size to 8 children, she will teach a 3-year-old class to meet Tuesday and Thursday from 9-11:30 a.m., and a 4-5-year-old class to meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9-11:30 a.m. Since her children will attend school in River Falls, she plans to operate her preschool according to the River Falls School District calendar.

There will be an annual registration fee. Tuition for the 3-year-old class is $62 a month. For the 4-5-year-old class, the fee is $82 monthly.

For more information, call Gribble at 426-9436.