In light of the current issue on budget cuts for the Chicago Public Schools, I am re-posting this article. This article was previously posted on chicagoformeandu.wordpress.com/ which is no longer active. I hope that this very positive article will highlight the importance of education and how it affects the children and everyone else around them.
Dear Principal Maureen Ready, Teachers Ms Klein and Ms Timov,
I am a pleasantly surprised and extremely happy parent.
I entrusted my daughter to your school and this is our first experience with the school system, particularly with Portage Park. We came to your school on orientation day expecting to be given documents for signature and requirements for school. We did get those, plus the warm welcome of the teachers. We also had a clear view of where my daughter will be “living” in the next months as a Pre-K student. We saw the areas where she will write her first words, “wash” her first dishes and “paint” her first masterpieces. Throughout the year, Ms Klein and Ms Timov would change those areas to give the students something new to tinker with and explore.
Come first day, I was surprised to see my daughter’s picture posted on the wall along with those of her classmates. I think it gives the kids a sense of belonging and they get to feel that their classroom is indeed their home away from home. Through the months, I witnessed my daughter grow, glow and mature. I love how she likes to rhyme, to read words and to ask what words mean when she encounters them for the first time. We enjoy reading together and her wider vocabulary allow us to enjoy the stories more and talk about the stories in greater detail. My daughter would also always mention how they vote and take turns in school. She talked about the time when Ms Klein made a paper crown for her on her birthday and Ms Timov put band aid on her “boo boo.”
After several walks to the park, a Halloween parade, a Christmas party, a “sleepover,” a Valentines get together, a puppet show, 3 field trips, a trip to the fire station and a trip
to the yogurt shop my Princess is now ready to move on to another adventure in Kindergarten. Instead of simple goodbyes and a few stories shared while enjoying good food, Ms Klein and Ms Timov gave us something really memorable. I was awestruck with the detail and obvious care by which they compiled the works of my daughter during her 9 months in school. Not only did they capture pictures, but they created a story of growth and beauty. I remember the book entitled “Griffin and Sabine.” A book that is actually a compilation of letters and post cards between friends. Taken separately, they were just letters. Taken together, they were a bestseller. The book that the teachers gave me is the same. One might think that they are just pieces of paper put together with pictures thrown here and there, but as a parent, I glow with pride at what my daughter has accomplished. Her first sign in and her last sign in, bonding with friends and her drawing of a lion.
So, again, from a pleasantly surprised and extremely happy parent, I’d like to thank you. I hope that you get to touch more hearts and make more parents happy as much as you have made me.
A Chicago Housewifey 