April 27, 2026
Important Dates…
Friday, May 1: School-wide Night Hike, 6:30 p.m. beginning at the Gathering Place. Campout for 1st-3rd families only in the Meadow after the Night Hike.
Monday, May 4: Overfield Summer Camp registration opens, 8 a.m. on the Overfield website.
Monday, May 11-Friday, May 15: Week-long residency with The Guitar Man, Jim McCutcheon.
Thursday, May 14: OFP Picnic, 5:30 p.m. on the Overfield Playground. Concert with visiting artist, Jim McCutcheon, 6:30 p.m. on the Overfield Playground.
Thursday, May 21: Primary Class End of Year Celebration, 6 p.m. in the Gathering Place.
Friday, May 22: Last Day of School for the 2025-2026 school year.
Letters from Leadership
I love the placement of my office, and it is not just because there are beautiful vistas from each vantage point. There are, to be clear, gorgeous views from every window and door in this space. But the reason that I love it is because it provides a metaphor for all of the layered reasons that I love Overfield.
There is the top layer of the sensory experience of Overfield that I think one first falls in love with. I can look out over a playground rich with opportunities for play and engagement, beautiful in its organization and rich in colors, and be reminded of the importance of prioritizing outdoor play in nature, with timeless things like trikes and bikes and swings and sand beckoning the children to move, discover, and enjoy. The heartwarming sound of children erupting into spontaneous squeals of joy as they burst forth from the Gathering Place will forever be one of my favorite sounds. It grounds me in the knowledge of how grateful we all should be to just be alive; the simple pleasures of life are truly important. As I write to you now, there is a spring storm sending a cool and moist wind past me, carrying the smell of French lilacs and fresh earth with it. How fortunate are we to live in a world of thunder, flowers, bird song, and raindrops? And when I look past this playground, I see the vista of the Hobart Preserve. What a gift it is to have philanthropic people like Julia and William Hobart and the extended Hobart family–who in collaboration with our county park district–have prioritized giving the community the treasure of the urban preserve as a home for wildlife and a place of connection to nature for people.
When I look to my right I see the hallway that countless colleagues have walked in my 24 years at the school. This is a place of committed educators, who see children as strong, capable, and deserving a voice in their own learning. These teachers are here because they believe in providing a place where children have rights–the right to be listened to, cared for, and autonomous. They know that children thrive when they are given time and space to share their own thoughts, to construct learning through experience, to share their point of view in dialogue with other people, with materials, with nature. This same hallway has been traversed by many, many parents, who invest in their child’s learning through time and money and a commitment to being part of a community. This community is further bolstered by grandparents, board members and friends of our school, who together make Overfield a place of collaboration and connection.
When I look around my office I see books for both children and teachers. This reminds me that learning is a lifelong pursuit, and that the wisdom of others needs to be part of my own learning. I see a colorful table made by children with Visiting Artist, Kathie Johnson, many years ago. I see the commitment our school has to the arts in that table, and the importance of bringing in fresh perspectives to layer into the robust arts-centered approach that is foundational to our work with children. I see the square that my own 21 year old son made when he was an Overfield kindergartener, and it reminds me that every child here is someone’s son or daughter. This guides my every decision here at our school, as I believe it does for all of our teachers; we must act as if each child here is our own. This centers us in a sense of love, appreciation, and responsibility to not only the group, but to each individual child.
When I look to the east balcony I see the front of our school, and the lane that leads up to an iconic steel house. This grounds me in a sense of history and legacy. I remember that many, many people have driven up this hill. First Edward and Martha Hobart, who called this place home and built this house with steel strong enough to then hold countless children and parents’ hopes and dreams–providing an unparalleled place for children to grow, even as they had no children of their own. I recollect how this was not the first home of our school, but how it welcomed us all into a period of growth when we left our school’s first home in the log cabin of the Overfield Tavern. This calls me to remember that the only constant is change, and how we must always flex, innovate, and respond if we want to remain a strong organization; but also how we must never lose sight of the core values that make us who we are.
And when I look to my left I see just trees. Pines and maples and locusts and even an elm. And I remember what drew me here personally, when as a 25 year old I answered an ad to be Overfield’s Naturalist. Who knew where that step would lead me? And now, all these years later, as I sit in this office as our Program Lead, I understand that I am but a small piece in big, beautiful, dynamic, challenging, wonderous, messy living organism. There are many who have come before me, and I will do all I can to make sure that many come after me. And even on the days that I don’t know, or I am uninspired, or I feel doubt from others or in myself, I do know I am blessed to be part of such an endeavor. And the trees remind me of this…as they continue to renew themselves with green leaves as the years march on, and as they glint with the crystals of freshly fallen snow, and as they whisper when the wind flows through their branches, they say this: that a life surrounded by beautiful spaces, with committed friends by your side, filled with art and play and learning and creating, is a worthy life, indeed. Thank you creating this lovely place with us that continues to nourish all who are fortunate enough to call it home, whether for a year, or five, or twenty-five.
Beth Poronsky – Program Lead
Please join us for our annual spring Night Hike on Friday, May 1st from 6:30-7:30 p.m. hosted by our first through third grade classes! The hike will begin at the Gathering Place doors, where maps will be available to guide you along the trail. After you visit the various animal-themed stations please enjoy a self guided scavenger hunt through the preserve to learn about some of the local plants and animals that call our campus home. After your hike join your friends at the fire pit to roast marshmallows and enjoy a lovely spring evening outdoors!
Please note–the overnight portion of the program is for current 1st-3rd grade families only. Thank you for your understanding!
The Overfield organic veggie garden is coming along nicely, and we know it’s going to grow like crazy this summer! The children have been busy amending soil, planting, weeding, and tasting the goodies that have popped up so far! By August, it will be a beautiful space in which children can learn and snack when they return to school.
We are looking for families to sign up for a Sunday-Saturday shift to help keep our garden thriving and producing throughout the summer. Below you’ll find a link to sign up to help keep our garden amazing all summer long.
Expectations are to weed, search for insects on plants, groundhog openings in the fence, and make sure the garden is getting watered. Volunteers usually stop in a few times during their scheduled week.
Overfield Garden Summer Volunteer Signup
Thank you, Robin Ramsey
We are thrilled to be welcoming the Guitar Man, Jim McCutcheon, as a visiting artist the week of May 11th! Many thanks to the Ohio Arts Council for helping to provide this opportunity, where the children will get to learn all about the guitar, as well as about stringed instruments from all over the world.
There will be an outdoor concert with Jim on the main playground on Thursday, May 14th, at 6:30 p.m., following the OFP End of Year Picnic. We hope to see you all there!
