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Move over Cookie Monster -- make room for Socrates the Squirrel.

To help return educational television to its 1980s roots and traditions, Beaver County-based National Network of Digital Schools is preparing to kick off "Meet Me at the Great Tree," a daily television show to air on WPGH Fox 53 starting January 4. The program, which will be taped at the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in Midland, is based on the company's "Lincoln Interactive" curriculum used at more than 200 schools nationwide.

"This is a unique opportunity to keep kids engaged so that they want to come back to us," said Kellie Hamilton, director of elementary curriculum for Lincoln Interactive. "The show goes back to the nostalgic feel of Mister Rogers Neighborhood and Sesame Street. ... We've got big shoes to fill."

The show, which will air from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, stars Miss Palomine, a teacher character who tells stories, plays games and makes recipes in Midlandia, a fictional town inspired by Midland. Miss Palomine, played by Allison Park actress and educator Angela Bloomquist, is accompanied by her sidekick, puppet Socrates the Squirrel.

Each week's programs will carry a different theme, from hobbies to making friends. Craft projects, recipes and games will be introduced along with the theme. Similar to Sesame Street, there will be letters of the week and words of the day, designed to help children remember phonetic letter sounds and learn how to visually recognize and write each letter.

"We want to take advantage of every moment being a teachable moment," Hamilton said. "Children are anxious and ready to learn new information, and we're hoping we can start their day off with it."

The show will be commercial-free, said Toni Cicone, spokeswoman for National Network of Digital Schools. During breaks between skits, brief messages will refer children to the show's Web site to learn more about characters.

"Our goal is to educate children and have another way to bring educational programming to children," Cicone said. "There will be no ads promoting our schools."

It is her dream that "Meet Me at the Great Tree" will one day be mentioned with the same respect as Sesame Street.

"I hope our viewers do compare us to such highly regarded programs," Hamilton said. "We've tried to keep the show fresh and different, but in line with the 21st century."

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