9/11/20 - Friday Forget-Me-Nots by Jim Silcott

Photo Caption: A Few of the Ladies of the OLP Class of 2029.

Dear Our Lady of Peace Family:

At the start of every school year I tend to forget just how little a Kindergarten student is. My gosh, most of them have only been walking and talking for four years or so. Potty training was within recent memory for some. And yet here they are in their Our Lady of Peace uniforms primed for a full day of school, the first year of a minimum of 13 years of education and for many 17 years and more!

There is no greater disparity in the ability level of a class of students then in Kindergarten. Some come in reading. Some do not. Some know their numbers and letters, others are just learning. The term “differentiated education” is a popular theme in today’s scholarly jargon. Kindergarten teachers have been differentiating since horses were the primary means of transportation. They don’t have a choice.

Age differences are never more pronounced than in Kindergarten. In our present class we have students that can’t remember any presents they got for their sixth birthday because it was so long ago while other students have just blown out five candles on a cake. There is a lot more difference between a five year old and a six year old than between an nine year old and a ten year old. By the time you get to my age of 63, I am considered to be twin brothers with anyone over 50 and younger than 80!

In Kindergarten everything about school is new. Many of the youngsters have been to pre-school and day care but Kindergarten is considered the real deal, up to the major league from the minors. Homework is introduced and grades are given. Your school record starts in Kindergarten and continues on, hopefully marking growth and progress.

For Kindergarten students everything is an adventure. A trip to the bathroom down the hallway is a journey. Riding the school bus is new and exciting. Seeing what Mom or Dad packed for lunch is a discovery. And as a lover of reading, I would say that learning to read is like handing these young people the keys to the city!

Because Kindergarten is so important we decided during this present situation, not to stick with our traditional one teacher and an aide scenario but to hire an additional Kindergarten teacher so that no teaching time is lost during this critical year. Kate DeStephen, our seasoned veteran is paired with newcomer Kathy Haninger to take each of our 25 students and help them grow. This is no easy task. As a life long educator I feel pretty confident teaching at most levels and most students. I even spent a couple of years in a State prison, not as a resident thank goodness but as a teacher. But teaching Kindergarten, I believe should give people a fast track to heaven.

Of course as a parent, even if your Kindergarten student is last in a long line of siblings, there is always a certain amont of anxiety. How will my son fare academically? How will my daughter navigate the school yard socially? We love our children and only want the best for them. As their principal this is an overriding thought every morning as I watch you drop your most precious cargo off at the door. Don’t ever feel that you are bothering me or anyone on our staff with questions or concerns not only about your Kindergartner but your children at any grade.

But I know the Kindergarten year is especially important. This year at Our Lady of Peace I feel it perhaps more acutely because, full disclosure, my grand daughter, Caroline is one of our 25 new Kindergarten students. And I was as nervous on her first day last week as any parent old or new!

Jim Silcott