5 February, 2004

News Release

For Immediate Release

Novato Charter School Students Knit Blankets for Premature Infants

Sixth through eighth graders at the Novato Charter School are working with the Woodywoof Project to knit blankets for critically ill children at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. Each student will create a small blanket for a premature infant.

Started several years ago by Bay Area resident and knitter, Hope Greenhill, the Woodywoof project enlists people of all ages to knit blankets for critically ill children. Hand-knit blankets are especially needed by tiny premature babies, whose tender skin can’t tolerate acrylic or other synthetic material.

Handwork such as knitting is a component of the Novato Charter School curriculum from kindergarten through eighth grade. Through knitting, children learn persistence, concentration, control, follow-through and mastery. Knitting also improves fine-motor skills, hand-eye coordination and brain development.

“Knitting as part of our school curriculum helps create a foundation for academic success,”

says Rachael Bishop, Director of the Novato Charter School. “In the 1^st grade, for example, knitting requires children to add and subtract stitches and create arrays, reinforcing abstract math concepts. It also provides a much-needed respite from the “virtual world” of computers and television in which today’s children so frequently dwell.”

Located at Hamilton Field, Novato Charter School blends Waldorf methods and best educational practices to support the healthy growth and development of the whole child. The school serves children from kindergarten through 8^th grade.

For more information about Novato Charter School, call 883.4254 or visit their web site at www.novatocharterschool.org.

Contact: Rachael Bishop, Director, Novato Charter School at 415.883.4254