I cannot believe the time has arrived when my son and I would be saying Goodbye to you, your staff and KinderCare. At the age of two, we realized that we would not be able to keep him at home due to our work schedules and did not have family that would be able to watch our son. I worked in Day Care for a short time, and the only thing I learned… was that I really did not want my kid going! You and Kindercare, changed my entire perspective. My family truly feels blessed that we found your center. From the first day when we brought our son in to meet Ms. Vicki and Ms. Deanne to what will be our last day with Ms. Terry, Ms. Jackie and Ms. Stacy, we knew we could trust that he would be in good hands. Our son has developed into a bright, strong-willed, and confident young man. He has excelled through the Phonics program with Ms. Jen and loves his science classes this summer. Ms. Deanne and Ms. Vicki always made him smile when I would drop him off and show him the birds or the deer outside. Ms. Shawna replicated my personality and was appropriately assertive when she needed to be, and taught with great conviction and confidence. Mr. Joe and Ms. Jody familiarized him with writing and reading and certainly helped to reinforce his letter and number recognition... Mr. Joe’s drawing of my favorite character, “The Pigeon” made me smile on a daily basis. Ms. Jackie, Ms. Stacey and Ms. Terry have sharpened his academic skills. Recently, I have noticed that he seems to be making better choices regarding friends and honing in on his leadership skills. You, Ms. Bonnie have been a good friend. You have always been there for me when I was not certain of an academic decision I needed to make and have also been there to talk to me about concerns I had. You acted on my concerns quickly and gently advised me when I may not have understood. Your enthusiasm for children and education is beyond reproach. I admire that enthusiasm and I also admire your selflessness. Ally and Leroy are two very lucky children to have you and Scott for parents. “It takes a village to bring up a child, especially in Today’s world, and I am glad you are in mine” Thank you Bonnie and Kindercare.

Last week KinderCare hosted a professional development day for teachers. it is my understanding that classrooms and teachers were recognized at this event. I wanted to share why my child's classroom is world class. I have worked in education for over 15 years and have collaborated with many teachers. i am compelled to write for one reason...Stacy Miller. As your award winning Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Stacy embodies all of the qualities of an exceptional teacher. Her dedication to her students is unparalleled. As a small business owner I know that positive feedback is just as important if not more so than negative feedback. We have been pleased to have our family as a part of the KinderCare family since January 2005. My son started attending as a three-month-old infant. My two children have received excellent care overall at KinderCare. I never truly appreciated the outstanding educational start that my children received until my son started public school last year. Prior to attending a full day Kindergarten in Plum School District, my son spent three days a week in Ms. Stacy's Kindergarten classroom. The individualized attention, encouragement and excitement for learning that he gained in Ms. Stacy's class not only prepared him for the first grade but gave him confidence in his abilities that will last him throughout his school years. In June I lost my position at Gateway School District due to state wide budget cuts. My husband and I had to take a long hard look at our finances and decide if we could afford to keep our five-year-old daughter at KinderCare. We decided that we must do what we could to keep her in Ms. Stacy's class because every cent spent would be well worth the investment in her education. When I pick her up from school each day, she bubbles over recalling what she has learned in class that day which just affirms this decision. I have been privileged to see Ms. Stacy's interaction with the children at various times of the day. She always has a comforting or encouraging word and commands such respect and reverence from her pupils. Stacy's creativity and consistency help the children to not only learn new skills but also develop into caring citizens. At a time in education when teachers are being blamed for societal woes, I must stand up and say that we need to support and recognize teachers like Stacy Miller who give so much to help mold the future...our children. Although I have enjoyed working and interacting with many of the teachers and staff at KinderCare I must say that Stacy Miller is your crown jewel. It is my hope that you will do what you can to reward her outstanding talent and dedication.