Welcome to
The Junior Junction Way
 

We are excited to introduce a new series of early childhood articles focused on the philosophies and teaching methods of Junior Junction.  The first article in the series is dedicated to Infant Care.  As the months progress, look for new articles to be posted on our website until the list below is fully available. 

Junior Junction (nickname “JJ”) was conceived by Mrs. Kelley Hutchison.   Kelley and her husband Steve have owned and operated Junior Junction since 1989.   Mrs. Hutchison is the director of their newest school, the Junior Junction Day School, located in Maple Valley, Washington.  She is a warm and vibrant woman who is passionately committed to early childhood education.  When you have the opportunity to meet her, you will discover that she is adamant about children’s environments being well planned, educational, clean, safe, and, most importantly, filled with lots of creative choices.  This holds true whether she is talking about 12-year-olds or 5-month-olds. 

Mrs. Hutchison believes that even the youngest of children develop self-identity and courage by being in an environment that is safe and trusting.  Parents also develop personal courage and are supportive of their child’s growth when they are confident that their child is in a safe environment with trustworthy caregivers.  JJ teachers are handpicked by Mrs. Hutchison to fulfill her goals of child development through loving and creative curricula.   Her teachers (who stay with her for years!) are as radical as she is about children being treated with respect.  At JJ children are challenged to grow and encouraged to take age-appropriate risks (without the fear of reprisal) such as:

• Pulling and pushing by themselves on the outside swings
• Rolling down a grassy hill and getting messy
• Speaking to their group of classmates during sharing time
• Using the toilet in the classroom
• Removing their food from the lunch table and putting it in the garbage
• Pouring juice from a pitcher into snack cups and knowing it’s ok to spill it
• Painting at the easel without boundaries
• Using lots of art materials and knowing it is ok
• Putting on their own jacket and collecting their own school bag without assistance
• Acting in a class play

Mrs. Hutchison believes that in this environment children can become confident young people, developing into self-starters with positive skills that will guide them in their journey through life.

Come and explore with us the teaching philosophies and methods of Junior Junction!