On Tuesday, May 8, we had the honour and privilege of welcoming our Special Guest, Ms. Lella Gandini, for a day visit to Richland! The children were ever so engaged with Ms. Gandini, as they chatted with her and welcomed her into the fold and into our community; it was truly a sight to behold.

As the Reggio Children United States Liaison for the Dissemination of the Reggio Emilia Approach, Ms. Gandini had the opportunity to tour our School and meet with staff to thoughtfully discuss this inquiry-based philosophy. Staff were inspired by the “energy she brought to the school,” “her sense of peace and joy when she spoke about Reggio experiences,” “her wealth of knowledge,” and her “ideas about how to engage learners on a more holistic level.” Reggio Lead Teacher, Mrs. Kate Daniel, marvelled at “how interested she was in what we were all doing at our School, in our context, and that she so much wanted to learn from us, as well as us from her.”