What is preschool? Preschool is a place you take your kids for socialization, to learn how to walk in a line and sit in circle time. It’s a place for crafts and toys and letters and numbers. Preschool is where your child begins his school career. But the Episcopal Day School is not just a preschool. It is a community.
We’ve been so grateful to be a part of this community for five years. During my eldest child’s first year, I felt so lucky that he had been placed with two teachers who were so perfectly suited to attend to his needs: Finn at three was so sensitive and attached to me, I never thought he’d like school. But his two wonderful teachers hugged him, attended to him, and found a way to make him trust in them, and soon, he loved school. And each year has been the same—both with Finn and his brother Gus (and with my daughter Wylie, who started in January), because all the teachers at the Day School are fabulous. Every new pair of teachers has impressed me so deeply—both because of their ability to give my kids (and all the students) a sense of security, and also because they’ve truly made the Day School a place where kids love to be.
I soon learned that luck had nothing to do with it—each Day School teacher has the amazing ability to intuit what each child needs—whether it be more structure or more choice, to be challenged and pushed or allowed to shine, or to be hugged and coddled, or encouraged to be independent. The Day School teachers seem to innately see how best to help a child grow; and my Finn—anxiety-ridden and quiet at age 3—is now a popular, confident, and (mostly) fearless first-grader who loves school. I attribute that to his wonderful teachers.
I have also found a loyal and caring community of families at the Day School. Not only have my kids made friends, but I have too. I’ve found playmates for my kids whose mothers I can call when I need a babysitter, a running partner, or a companion for a night out… I’ve forged friendships with other moms through our volunteer work at the school, and have felt so fulfilled by this—both because it helps the school, and because my kids love seeing me in the halls (and I love peeking at them in class).
I have always believed firmly that it does take a village to raise a child, and the Day School has created the beginnings of a village for us. Because so many of the Day School families have strong roots in this area, I know that when Finn, Gus or Wylie is driving too fast down King Street 10 or 15 years from now, there will be a posse of moms—and former teachers—to both yell at them, and then call me with a report!
What is Preschool? Preschool should be a welcoming place where children gain the confidence and curiosity to love school; a place they are excited to visit after they’ve moved on—to show their favorite teachers how much they’ve grown. I feel so grateful to have “lucked” into finding the school, and lucked into joining this thriving and caring community. Watching Wylie—my youngest at 2 and a half—run around the school like she owns the place makes me smile… she knows most of the teachers, the director, the classrooms and the potties (intimately!), but more importantly, they know her.
-Molly Fuhr Bassill (mother of 3)
My son has been a student at Episcopal Day School for four years, including Kindergarten. There are just not enough positive words in the dictionary to describe our experience. As students, these children learn even more than they need to know in order to progress academically. Moreover, they learn so many of life’s invaluable lessons, such as sharing, caring, socializing, good manners, kindness and respect for others and their differences. For these reasons, the children of our school will undoubtedly grow into kind, confident, secure and loving adolescents.
As parents, we have been blessed with the comfort of knowing that every day when we walk our children to their classrooms, not only will they be sent in to great hands, but in to the hands of those who have the amazing ability to love ours like their own.
The only thing I would change about the school if I could is that it also served grades 1-4. My son, my husband and I will be sad to leave, but will always cherish our days at Good Sam and the wonderful administrators, teachers, parents and friends we have made along the way.
- Lynne Spangler (Mom of Derek)
Why I Chose Good Sam Kindergarten once - and why I'm doing it again
Three years ago, when it was time to send my first child off to kindergarten, I was understandably apprehensive and a little anxious. I wondered what he'd be learning about, if he'd miss me, and whether he'd make friends and be happy.
It turns out I worried about nothing. Dean attended Good Sam's outstanding kindergarten program and I've never had one regret. I was so pleased with the class that registering my daughter, Ellie, for next year was a no-brainer. Not only does our kindergarten have an outstanding reputation among teachers from local elementary schools, Dean benefited in many other ways. For example:
1. The program builds confidence. Kindergarten at Good Sam isn't just about play time. In fact, much of what Dean learned in Kindergarten (e.g. how to read, basic math, penmanship skills) has provided essential building blocks for his 1st and 2nd grade classes.
2. There's time to learn. Unlike most public school programs, which are only about 2.5 hours, Good Sam offers what's known as a "three-quarter" day. School's in session from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., which gave Dean not only time to really understand his lessons, but also enjoy the "specials" he had throughout preschool (i.e., Library, Movement, Music). The longer hours at Good Sam also meant Dean wasn't exhausted when he eventually began a full school day in first grade.
3. Kids get individual attention because of the small class size. While the number of students in Good Sam's kindergarten varies from year to year, the average class size is about 14. I've heard many public schools have just one teacher dealing with 20+ children, and one local private school has a teacher and an aide for 24 students. Good Sam's class size was large enough for Dean to not only make several new friends (one is still his "best friend"), but also get the extra assistance he needed from the teachers (e.g., help improving penmanship, practicing spelling words, etc.). I never felt he was "just a number" or got lost in the shuffle. Instead, I saw the teachers get to know and leave each child for his or her own personality.
4. The teachers are top rate. You won't find more caring, loving or effective teachers than Jeanne Helmers and Jordan Dittmann. Both have been at Good Sam for years - and by the way they connect with students, you can tell there's no place either would rather be every day. (Although we are never guaranteed specific teachers in specific class, Good Sam has a multitude of excellent teachers and aids that would be excellent in the class.) Dean enjoys the days when his elementary school is closed or has a delayed opening - because he always asks to visit his kindergarten teachers.
We all know that kids are happy and confident when things seem familiar. One day, Dean bragged that his 2nd grade math homework was easy because he'd learned about using "tens" and "ones" in kindergarten. (He did, on a very basic level - when the class learned to count out the calendar date using bundled Popsicle sticks.) That early exposure made him so confident that he "knew" the 2nd grade subject matter that he even helped other students who were struggling. (No, he's not bored in school now - the older grades go more in-depth on each subject...but I love seeing the smile on his face when he says, "Hey, I learned about that!"
His confidence hasn't just come from within, either. The teachers do all they can to make the kids feel good about themselves, beyond the usual praise. Every morning when the kids arrive and in the afternoon when they leave, the students are taught to look the teachers in the eye, shake hands and say either "good morning" or "goodbye."
The kindergarten experience at Good Sam built my confidence, too - in the program. I can't recommend this class enough, and I look forward to sending my daughter in September. There, I know she'll grow, learn and feel loved.
P.S. The kindergarten door is always open - go check it out for yourself!
- Kerry Fitzgerald (mother of 2)