Sharing Our Stories

Toni Salerno

In my years of being a teacher, I have never seen a pre-school run so efficiently.  I am so impressed with the Moscow School’s PM class, program and staff, that I felt I would share my experience with you.  My daughter Dancia has been going to the PM class since September and we have noticed incredible improvements with her behavior and attention.  Since my recent divorce, Dancia had exhibited some major separation anxiety with increased dependence on myself.  However, because of your Moscow program, my daughter is becoming more independent daily and her other teachers from her other Preschool for morning classes have commented as well.  In fact, Dancia’s behavior was so distracting in August and early September, I was considering pulling her from the Troy Preschool.  Then after only a couple of weeks in the Moscow PM class, she began to turn around and demonstrate concentration, social interaction and independence. 

After volunteering a few weeks ago at the Moscow school, I walked away so content in knowing my child was being cared for by such caring, loving teachers in a structured and educational setting.  The day ran so smooth and each child knew exactly their role in the class.  The meals were delicious and nutritious and the family atmosphere and modeled behavior by the teachers was very apparent and conducive to growth and learning.  I am a huge fan now and cannot say enough positive things about this program. 

 In addition, I had the honor of attending the recent Steps program held at the monastery in early December.  Not knowing what to expect, I was a little skeptical at first.  However, it was not long that we were immersed in small groups, interaction, exciting relationship and business techniques that challenged you to be more in charge of your life.  The classes were fun, interesting and made me want more for myself and family.  I walked away with several principles that will carry over into my family and business life.  I also met some great people and continue to converse with them over social networking.  The facility was amazing, peaceful and definitely a retreat a parent would want to attend.  I came back refreshed and charged up with the lessons I had learned, ready to empower my family and life.

I am grateful for Lewis-Clark Early Childhood Program and how it has positively affected mine and my child’s life.  When my life was turned upside down, your program helped restore a piece of balance that was desperately needed for my child.  Thank you for the Steps Retreat and for your Moscow School.  I hope many other families come to know your program and can also be enriched by its wonderful program.

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Andrea Casali

I am Andrea Casali, and I would like to tell about my Head Start journey which started in 1981.

A home base teacher showed up at my front door and offered to help my son with some home activities. She told me about the Head Start Program, and I enrolled my son the following year.

Back then, there were teachers and co-teachers, and they made me feel very good about myself. That year, I volunteered quite a bit and received a certificate of appreciation at the end of the year. I kept that certificate for twenty years.

The teachers encouraged me to get my GED. I was 18 at the time and thought “what a pipe dream”. I thought maybe “someday”. I did get my GED and over time went onto college where I received my BA.

As years went by; jobs were scarce. I had two more children and once again found myself in the folds of the Head Start Program which was now Lewis-Clark Early Childhood Program. The lead teacher talked to me about teaching English at the Craigmont center to a Philippine parent while my son attended the center. This led into leading a parent group and a part time job as an aide for special services. Thanks to the several opportunities and diverse people, I became an Early Childhood Educator for L.C.S.C. based at the local LCECP center. Eventually, the program was cut due to funding, and I decided I needed a change. Therefore, I went to work at a local hospital. I worked for about three weeks and felt empty and lost. I missed the children and went back to Lewis-Clark Early Childhood Program and was given a job as a Family Advocate.

I truly love my job. I get to help people with the same problems I faced long ago. If it hadn’t been for the caring and nurturing staff and their advice to set personal goals, I would not have perused nor achieved those goals for the past twenty five years. Thanks to the Lewis-Clark Early Childhood Program; not only did my four children get a Head Start…but so did I!

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Megan Kent

The Head Start program has greatly benefitted us. My daughter, Gwen, has been attending Head Start for only three months, but I have seen a significant improvement in many aspects of her development.

Before staring the program, it was always a battle to get Gwen to clean up after herself or do simple tasks that she is capable of doing like making her bed or getting dressed. While we still have our occasional battles, she is much more willing or even happy to do what I ask her to do. She has been a good example to her younger brother, who wants to be like her. Now both of them happily clean up their places after meals, which had never happened in our home before.

Over the past year Gwen’s doctor and I have become concerned with Gwen’s size and lack of food consumption. She had gained no weight at all in almost a year and wasn’t even on the growth charts for height or weight. I had tried many different things to get her to eat healthfully, short of forcing food down her throat, but didn’t have much success. When Gwen started at Head Start, she has been exposed to different foods on a regular basis—something that is not always easy to achieve at home. She has also been surrounded by children with different tastes in food. I think both of these circumstances contributed to her desire to try more foods. Almost immediately after beginning at Head Start, her appetite increased dramatically. Frequently I come by a little early at the end of class when they are having snack time. Many times Gwen is the last at the table finishing off a second or third helping of whatever they are eating. I’ve also noticed an increase in appetite and a willingness to try new foods at home.

In the last few months Gwen has improved in her ability to relate, communicate, and empathize with others. She is showing an increased ability to stop and use words when frustrated with another child or adult rather than just crying or throwing a tantrum. She can accept more easily the fact that she doesn’t always get her way. At home I’ve noticed she cooperates and plays more amiably with her younger brother and for longer periods of time. I have also noticed more creativity in the way she plays at home.

Recently Gwen has taken more of an interest in literacy. She is much more interested in the sounds that letters make than she has ever been. Without my asking, she will try to figure out what letter a word starts with that she has just used in a sentence. She also likes to guess what letter her friends’ names start with. She is starting to recognize words in some of her favorite books, and if I point to a simple word she can sometimes tell me what it is.

I have been very grateful for the Head Start program and what it has done for my daughter. I have listed only a few of the ways I’ve seen her grow and develop in the last few months, although I’m sure there are many more.