The Branches Atelier Fund (BAF), a visionary 501(c)(3) charity, stands at the forefront of transforming early childhood education through innovative, Reggio Emilia-inspired approaches. Drawing on decades of rich pedagogical expertise, BAF's passionate mission centers on providing teachers with powerful tools, deep knowledge, and unwavering support needed to spark critical thinking, nurture community engagement, and kindle lifelong learning in young minds.

At the heart of this transformative work lies the Professional Development Initiative, which revolutionizes teaching practices through immersive training in the Reggio Emilia approach. Inspired teachers create extraordinary learning environments where children flourish and grow. Through dynamic conferences, innovative workshops, and illuminating collaborations with experts from the schools in Reggio Emilia, BAF ensures educators remain pioneers in creative early childhood education practices.

The groundbreaking 100 Languages Access Program embodies BAF's deep commitment to reaching underserved communities. This vital initiative prioritizes supporting teachers who work with at-risk students, ensuring that exceptional early childhood education reaches those who need it most. Through this program, BAF's pedagogical expertise flows into classrooms in underserved areas, transforming everyday learning into extraordinary educational experiences.

BAF's Community Professional Development program amplifies this educational renaissance beyond immediate boundaries. For over 18 years, this inspiring annual Early Childhood Education conference has drawn 200-300 passionate educators nationwide. The fund nurtures workshops, seminars, and online classes that spread innovative teaching practices like seeds of change throughout the educational landscape.

Understanding that brilliant futures shouldn't be limited by circumstances, the Financial Aid and Scholarships program ensures economic barriers never obstruct access to transformative education. The Emergency Fund stands as a pillar of support for families and staff during challenging times, maintaining educational continuity when it matters most.

The Parent Education Initiative weaves another vital thread in this educational tapestry, offering illuminating workshops, classes, and seminars led by child development experts. These programs create a vibrant community where parents become active participants in their children's extraordinary educational journey.

As a pioneering social constructivist program inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, Branches Atelier shines as a certified Sustainable Green Business Innovator and National Wildlife Federation School Yard Habitat. Under the visionary leadership of founder Patricia Hunter McGrath, named Culver City's Visionary Woman of the Year in 2020, BAF continues to chart new territories in innovative early childhood education.

The Branches Atelier Fund represents more than a funding source—it embodies a passionate commitment to transforming early childhood education through teacher empowerment and child-centered learning. Through sustained community support, BAF builds a future where exceptional educational experiences touch every child, guided by teachers equipped with the most innovative tools and practices in early childhood education. This impact resonates far beyond classroom walls, creating profound and lasting changes in how children learn, grow, and imagine their world.

Branches Atelier is a Reggio Inspired center located in Culver City, CA. We have been in business since 2007 and have been in our current location since 2012.

We offer many different classes for Preschool children, Parents and Toddlers, Parents and Infants, as well as specialized workshops for Parents and Educators.

Our Facility # is 197418373

Branches Professional Development -Branches Atelier is committed to ongoing Branches teacher and staff professional development opportunities.

At Branches Atelier, we believe that inspired teachers create inspirational classrooms. Our goal is to cultivate excellent, challenging learning environments where children can thrive and grow. To achieve this, we recognize the importance of investing in our educators through high-quality continuous professional development opportunities.

Contributions from generous supporters like you enable our dedicated staff to participate in educational conferences, workshops, seminars, and ongoing education, including and extending beyond early childhood education courses. We are also able to work with experts from the schools in Reggio Emilia. These experiences not only enhance their skills and knowledge but also empower our teachers to implement innovative practices that directly benefit our students and create a community of lifelong learners.

We invite you to partner with us in this important endeavor. Your support will help us ensure that our teachers are equipped with the latest tools and strategies to inspire their students. Together, we can create a brighter future for theteachers, children, and families in our Branches community.

Branches' Community Professional Development Initiatives - For over 18 years, Branches has been dedicated to providing high-quality early childhood education beyond the walls of our school, rooted in the belief that every child deserves an exceptional learning experience.

Our commitment extends beyond our classrooms; we are passionate about sharing our knowledge and practices with educators across the United States and abroad. To achieve this, we host an annual two-day Early Childhood Education (ECE) conference, attracting 200 to 300 educators each year. This event serves as a platform for collaboration, learning, and inspiration, equipping educators with the latest research and effective teaching strategies they can bring back to their classrooms.

In addition to our conference, we offer a variety of ongoing professional development opportunities, including on-site workshops, seminars, online classes and consulting. These programs are designed to empower educators, foster community, and ultimately enhance the quality of education that children receive.

To continue and expand these vital initiatives, we are seeking ongoing funding. This funding will help us cover the costs of organizing our annual conference, facilitating workshops, and developing new online resources that reach educators in underserved areas.

Your support will play a crucial role in creating a brighter future for children by investing in the professional growth of their educators. Together, with your support we can make a lasting impact on the early childhood education landscape.

FAMILY RESOURCES

Branches' Financial Aid and Scholarships

At Branches, we firmly believe that every child deserves access to excellent preschool education, regardless of financial circumstances. Our mission is to ensure that no child is excluded from the opportunities that quality early childhood education provides.

As we strive to create an inclusive and diverse learning environment, we recognize that many families face financial challenges that can hinder their ability to enroll their children in preschool. To address this issue, we are seeking funding to establish scholarships and financial aid programs for families in need.

Your support would enable us to offer tuition assistance to deserving families, ensuring that all children can experience the benefits of early education. By investing in our scholarship program, you would be playing a vital role in promoting equity and diversity within our community.

Help us make a difference in the lives of children and families in our community.

Branches Emergency fund

At Branches Atelier, we believe in fostering a nurturing environment for our families and staff. Unfortunately, life can present unexpected challenges that put a strain on our community members. Our Emergency Fund is dedicated to providing financial assistance in times of crisis, whether that be through tuition support or other forms of aid.

By contributing to the Emergency Fund, you can help us ensure that families and staff can access the resources they need during difficult times. Your generosity will enable us to continue supporting our community and upholding the values we all cherish. Your contributions can make a significant impact. Thank you for considering this opportunity to help our community thrive.

Branches Parent Workshops, Classes and Seminars

Our mission is to support families in their parenting journeys by providing them with valuable resources and insights.

We believe that equipping parents with the right tools and knowledge can lead to healthier family dynamics and stronger communities. To enhance our offerings, we plan to invite guest speakers who are experts in various fields of parenting, child development, and family wellness. These workshops will cover a range of topics, from effective communication and discipline strategies to mental health and well-being.

We anticipate that these sessions will not only empower parents but also foster a sense of community among families.However, to bring in these esteemed speakers and cover necessary materials, we are seeking funding to help offset the costs.

We would be grateful for any support you can provide, whether through financial contributions or resources. Yourinvestment will directly impact the lives of families in our community, helping them thrive in their parenting roles.

Your contribution of any amount enables us to continue to inspire the growth of our Branches Atelier teachers, children and their families and support, ECE teachers and families with young children. Thank you in advance for your support of our mission.

-~- OUR PHILOSOPHY -~-

Branches Atelier is committed to creating high-quality, creative, dynamic, educational programs for children, families and educators. We are a social constructivist program, inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education.

Based on our fundamental belief that children learn best when their work is meaningful and in a social context, we integrate all areas of curriculum though short-term explorations and long-term projects. Children are viewed as protagonists in their learning and are encouraged to work in collaboration with their peers to co-construct new theories and ideas.

The role of our teachers is to extend and deepen children’s ideas and theories. Through careful observation, documentation, thoughtful questions and deep reflections, our teachers work in partnership with the children to negotiate curriculum, extend thinking and develop explorations. Our teachers are life long learners who continue to research contemporary child development theories. Attending conferences, workshops and classes supports our teachers’ commitment to integrating new research into their daily practice.

We have an extensive media program that encompasses a wide range of materials and symbolic languages. The children use the various media to communicate their ideas, develop their theories and deepen their learning.

Our children are not given traditional preschool materials such as play dough, construction paper and prepackaged collage materials. Instead they are offered a wide range of artist-quality mixed media materials including clay, pastels, weaving materials, beadwork and natural materials in addition to canvases and beautiful papers for use with various types of paint and collage.

“Materials are the text of early childhood classrooms. They offer openings and pathways by which children can enter the world of knowledge.”

We are influenced by the work of various artists such as Goldsworthy, Calder, Matisse and O’Keefe whose work we observe in books and photographs. In the atelier, the children’s work is displayed for further inspiration: clay leaves and tempera butterflies hang from the ceiling, wirework of DNA and kinesthetic sculptures adorn the space.

We see children as active, vital participants who contribute to our community. As part of our curriculum, we visit Temescal Canyon, Tanaka Strawberry Farm, Underwood Family Pumpkin Farm and farmers markets. We believe that extending our curriculum into the community allows the children to become more connected to their community and the community to become more connected to our children.

We understand and value the importance of children having time to connect with nature. Our beautiful outdoor environments give children time to explore nature through immersive experiences with clay, sand, water, natural materials and gardening. These experiences are set up to encourage children to connect with each other, develop peer relationships and make meaningful connections with natural world. Our environment has been certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a School Yard Habitat.

Research has shown that early experiences in programs such as Branches Atelier, improves children’s abilities to develop socially, intellectually and emotionally before they enter kindergarten, and that children who attend high-quality preschools like Branches will have more successful academic careers and develop the social skills necessary to adapt more easily to an elementary school environment.

Our Founder Patricia Hunter McGrath was named Culver City's Visionary Woman of the Year in 2020.

Branches Atelier has been certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a School Yard Habitat.

Branches Atelier has been certified as a Sustainable Green Business Innovator by Culver City.

Branches Atelier is a Reggio Inspired center located in Culver City, CA. We have been in business since 2007 and have been in our current location since 2012.

We offer many different classes for Preschool children, Parents and Toddlers, Parents and Infants, as well as specialized workshops for Parents and Educators.

Our Facility # is 197418373