Callie started kindergarten at the beginning of August. It was a very exciting, stressful and emotional transition. It was hard to leave Child Enrichment at First United Methodist Church. And it was especially difficult to leave Ms. Emily, who’s been with Callie, essentially one-on-one, for the past three years.
We always knew Callie was safe and happy with Ms. Emily around. We could never thank her enough for all the love and protection she gave Callie.
Callie enjoys a magic show as her kindergarten class visited the Dixie Classic Fair in Winston-Salem earlier this month.
Everyone who knows Callie was apprehensive about her going to kindergarten. It’s not easy for people to reconcile that a child who has normal cognition and an outgoing personality can be so medically fragile. We had to work for several months to get Callie a one-on-one nurse at school. Callie requires frequent vital sign checks and constant attention to her fatigue and respiratory status, as she can decompensate quickly.
Callie doesn’t trust people easily, so it was a relief when we realized that Callie’s kindergarten teacher, Ms. Madison, and her nurse, Ms. Tee, were going to work out wonderfully. The administration and staff at Callie’s new school have also worked hard to help make her transition to kindergarten a success. Callie instantly made friends in her class and by the third week of school, she could attend the entire day without Nathan or me there.
Earlier this month Callie’s class had its first field trip, and Callie was very excited to ride the school bus for the first time as her class traveled to the fair. It’s great to see Callie fully participate in activities with her classmates.
Callie has a full life, and kindergarten is a big part of it. Making that possible requires the time and expertise of a variety of people: teachers, therapists, nurses, custodians, friends, administrators, lunchroom staff. There are people we have never met who take care of details that make school possible for Callie. We are grateful for everyone.