New Preschool to Open at Stanley

OPENAir Academy will have creative learning environments that encourage cultivation of children’s intelligence.

OPENAir Academy Early Childhood Learning Center, for children ages 6 weeks to pre-kindergarten, will open its third location at the Stanley this fall.

OPENAir’s curriculum is inspired by the Reggio Emilia schools of Northern Italy, based on the idea that children are innately intelligent and need exciting and creative environments that encourage cultivation of this intelligence.

“Because each of our schools is inspired by the way children learn, and is built specifically for the neighborhood in which they exist, the Stanley location will be unique in structure, environment and aesthetic,” said OPENAir co-owner Heather Eversley, a Stapleton resident. “Classrooms will connect easily to outdoor learning space, where an abundance of natural light and natural materials will create a bright, inspiring environment. “The school will give each child an opportunity to thrive within the larger community of the Stanley development.”

OPENAir opened in the Reunion District of Commerce City in 2006 and in River North/LoDo in 2011. Eversley invites parents of prospective students to visit the LoDo school: “We are offering tours of our LoDo location for those who would like to learn more about the Reggio approach and get a sense of what the Stanley location will be like.” She said hours and specific policies for the new location are still being determined.

OPENAir at the Stanley is accepting registrations and spaces have been filling quickly, Eversley said. The LoDo school is handling registrations and can be contacted at info@openairacademy.com or by calling 303.296.8300. For more information, see openairacademy.com.