Last Day of Preschool

Today was the last time I pick up one of my kids at Old Mission Preschool. We met Miss Pam for the first time in 2003 when Charlie was 3 years old. The preschool was just down the road about a 3 minute drive from our old house. Charlie was a very outgoing kid and made friends quickly. He had Miss Pam on Tuesday's and Thursday's the first year, and then again the next year on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. She was so wonderful and gave him such a great foundation for school that even though we had moved, and the preschool was now a 20 minute drive, I chose to have Juliana go there too. Juliana had the same teacher and same schedule as Charlie, two days a week the first year and 3 days a week the second. Juliana is much more shy, and it really took her the whole first year to really make friends. I was so glad she had the exact same class the second year with all the same kids except one. It made this year so wonderful for her and she really started to come out of her shell and even had several play dates this year. Today Juliana graduated from preschool. It is so bittersweet. How great for her to be starting a new journey and beginning Kindergarten in the fall, but very sad to be leaving behind a woman who has been so great for my kids. I know there is a good chance we will never see Miss Pam again. I am so lucky to have found the perfect school with the perfect teacher just because it was the closest place to my house 5 years ago! Miss Pam will always be remembered fondly in our house. She was one of the first people outside the family to recognize that Charlie is gifted and told me to be his advocate and make sure he got the special attention he needed. She helped Juliana to feel comfortable when it was difficult for her, and let her warm up in her own time. She has really helped Juliana to blossom socially and that made it easier for her to also show that she too is probably gifted. Here is a photo of Juliana and Miss Pam taken today at the graduation.