Over five years ago, we walked into Stepping Stones with our four-month-old daughter, Ella. I still remember how hard the trust was. Handing your tiny baby to someone else simply is.
Now, somehow, that baby is leaving for kindergarten.
The teachers and staff at Stepping Stones didn't just care for Ella. They knew her, challenged her, celebrated her, taught her, and most importantly, loved her.
Looking back, what made Stepping Stones so special wasn't perfection. No school, teacher, parent, or child is perfect. It was the consideration. When there was a challenge, they listened. When our kids needed something different, they noticed. They met our children where they were while encouraging them to grow.
There are so many people who have been part of our story that I could never adequately thank them all. When I asked Ella who she would miss, she didn't want to choose. She said all of her teachers. I think that says more about the culture here than anything I could write.
Still, I can't close this chapter without recognizing a few by name.
Ms. Sheryl has been our constant and a rock for our family. Genuine, dependable, caring, and always willing to go above and beyond. Ms. Kiran has been our understanding listening ear and compassionate, thoughtful problem solver. Ms. Bedika has brought organization, involvement and care, while Ms. Sarah has always brought positivity and support.
Ms. Lei's structure, high standards, attention to detail and genuine care gave us tremendous peace of mind when our babies were truly babies. Ms. Christi, although no longer there, cared for both of our children and also went above and beyond in ways we'll never forget.
Along with Ms. Lei, Ms. Cece and Ms. Jakayla were two of Aidan's first teachers and remain two of his favorites. Their warmth, energy and genuine excitement to see him mean so much. Ms. Ellie beautifully balanced play and learning for Ella and now Aidan, sparking curiosity while still letting them be kids.
Ms. Julie helped build Ella's foundation for learning. Ms. Jodi has known her for years and continues to show up for her, even making graduation leis for the Jr. K kids this year.
Mr. Terry fueled creativity through music, art, storytelling and imagination. When I asked Ella what she would miss, one of the first things she said was Mr. Terry telling stories at lunchtime. I love that that's one of the things she'll carry with her.
And then there is Ms. V. It's hard to find words for what she has meant to us. She is a huge part of why we knew Ella needed to stay through Junior K at all costs, and there is no one I would rather have had prepare our girl for kindergarten. She balances structure and high expectations with genuine care and compassion. She knows her kids individually and makes learning personal, creative and fun. Ella says it best: "She does lessons that are fun!"
After five years, what I'm most grateful for isn't a checklist of what Ella learned. It's who she is leaving as: confident, curious, loved, completely herself, and encouraged to become the best version of that person.
As her last day approached, Ella talked about missing her friends, Mr. Terry's stories, Ms. V's lessons, and all of her teachers. Then she said something that perfectly sums up her five years here:
"I wish I had five more days to go."
For a little girl so excited and ready for kindergarten, I can't imagine a greater testament to the place she's leaving.
And maybe our greatest testament is that we're not actually saying goodbye. After over five years of trusting these people with the most important people in our lives, we continue to choose them.
To every teacher, administrator and staff member who has cared for our babies, named here or not, thank you for every bottle, nap, lesson, story, song, art project, correction, hug, hard conversation, celebration, and ordinary Tuesday we probably never even knew about.
Thank you for seeing our children, loving them, and helping us raise our girl. We are so grateful we get to continue watching our boy learn and grow with you.
