My two children have been attending Building Blocks for about a month now, and we all really love…read moreit. Even though it's a new preschool in town, the director Mandy is not new to teaching or running preschools, as she has another location in the city. Her experience is evident from how she has set up the school to how she interacts with the children. My 2 and 4 year old boys have had no issues transitioning to this school. They are always excited to go and happy when they talk about what they did at school. I love that Mandy does a lot with nature. In just the past few weeks, they have studied ants and spiders. She took them out on a rainy day to look for worms, and they are currently observing caterpillars. My boys are there for half day only, and they get about an hour of outdoor time each day. (I believe the full day children get another hour of outdoor time in the afternoons as well.) Mandy has set up her space well to accommodate the needs of the varying ages, 2 - 5. She has 2 different rooms for exploration/play time, a separate area for projects and snack, and a third indoor playroom for when the weather is too rough to get outside. She also has a large playground area and a big field for the children to run around in. One thing I appreciate is that Mandy makes things so much easier on the parents. They may all be little things, but they really make a difference. She provides the morning snack (and sometimes the children help cook it!), she allows you to keep your children's backup clothes, water bottle, boots, etc. at the school so that there isn't much you need to think about when packing up a bag for the day. She is also flexible. She has allowed me to drop off my boys an hour early for me to get to an appointment, and she has allowed them to come on their off-days during a week that I needed more drop-off time. At the end of each day, Mandy sends a detailed report that includes what the boys ate and how much, potty information, special activities they were involved in, items they played with, stories that were read to them, and any other general comments that were pertinent for the day. She also has the confidence to offer a live nanny cam so you can "pop in" and check and see how things are going while you are away. We are very happy at Building Blocks and would encourage anyone looking for a preschool in New Paltz to give Mandy a call/email and set up a tour.

We love Building Blocks and both our kids have enjoyed going there. Mandy is fantastic and the…read moreschool is so warm and fun. Highly recommend.

Our two daughters both love this school. The instruction is top-notch. We highly recommend it!read more

This school offers a nice balance between Montessori learn-through-play and directed study (which…read moremany Montessori schools lack). Our kids were in their pre-K program, and we were impressed by what they were doing during the year. We were even more impressed after the kids "graduated". At their kindergarten orientation (for the parents), we were given a list of things that the kids would know by the end of the year. The Lucas Ave. Montessori pre-K program essentially taught our kids the entire kindergarten curriculum. In other words, our kids have a great start on their education, thanks to the Lucas AVe. Montessori.

Had the absolute best first time learning pottery!!! Something I have been coveting and meaning to…read moretry Judi was an amazing instructor and we booked a group lesson for 8 individuals. Everyone got as individualized attention as humanly possible and learning pottery on the wheel was way more intricate than anyone could have guessed. The best part was the way in which Judi walked us through centering and coning in order to keep our pieces still spinning together! Colors were picked towards the end and we were all able to add stamps or indentations as well. There was (still might be) discounts for 2 hour lessons with big groups at a set rate so check it out if you and a group want to make something! Not to mention, some of Judi's pottery was available for sale! Got the last two for a few dollars each and super satisfied!

I've spent a lot of this past summer in and around HVP My…read moredaughter attended Clay Camp and several Teen classes. I was really proud of her work and she really enjoyed it The teachers and other Potters that come and go were all very friendly and supportive I loved the spot when it was a bakery / cafe and it's still a pretty place to sit outside As a small business / artistic endeavor it can change open hours & classes on the fly so call ahead

How can i forget Women's Studio Workshop???…read more There's no way I could gush enough praise of this place that would come close to describing how wonderful it is! gosh, where do i start?? 1) The studios: They transformed an old hardware store from the 1800s into a two story art studio that includes areas for: paper-making, printmaking, letter pressing, bookbinding, ceramics, photography and silk screening. It's set in the woods and surrounded by nature 1 mile outside the small, Hudson Valley town of Rosendale, NY. 2) The artist opportunities: They offer fellowships, studio rentals, residencies, paid-internships and grants for artists (mainly women, but not exclusively female) to come use their studios and create work. --- I, myself, was accepted as a studio intern and lived and worked on the premises for 6 months in the fall of 2005. I learned more in that six months then i did in 4.5 years in art school. 3) Classes: For artists who don't have the time to take off 4-6 weeks to work as a fellow or resident The Summer Arts institute offers 3-5 day classes (lunch included) in all of the studios areas: paper-making, printmaking, letter pressing, bookbinding, ceramics, photography and silk screening. 4) The women: Ann, Tana and Anita (the founders and owners) are all talented artists, friendly, compassionate and inspiring women. ... for everything i missed their website is a wealth of additional detailed information on classes and artist opportunities: http://wsworkshop.org/ .... sigh... I have a little piece of my heart set aside for this place.

I took lesson with Chris, and he was amazing. He's patient and he talks with you as you're driving…read moreso he keeps you calm. I hadn't driven in over 20+ years. His professionalism is on par. I will be starting up again with him real soon.

Chris is certainly the best instructor out in the Hudson Valley. He is professional and takes great…read morecare in building your confidence behind the wheels. Both our children took classes with Chris and had a very pleasant experience, his positive energy is contagious! Highly recommended