ESTEVAN — Mary's Little Lambs preschool in Estevan celebrated its students and all they have learned in the 2024-25 school year.
Administrator Mary Lawrence said it's hard to believe another year is ending. She added the children spent the year getting ready for kindergarten while making close friends and having a lot of fun along the way.
"We are blessed that we can offer such a positive preschool experience, ensuring the children are provided with the skills and concepts needed to move onto kindergarten," said Lawrence.
The spring concert and graduation was May 13. Kids practised their songs for months. Lawrence said teacher Patti Ksenych shared her kindergarten teaching experience, professionalism and musical talents with the children throughout the year, and it culminated in the concert for the parents and others who attended the program.
"This is a very special and exciting day for the children and the parents, as after the concert each child is capped with their own graduation hat and then receives their diploma," said Lawrence.
She said they had some new decorations this year so it looked very colourful. There were a few tears among the children and the parents.
"We had one little girl in the afternoon class. She was quite the singer and performer," said Lawrence.
The year finished with picnics on May 14 for the three-year-olds and May 15 for those who are four. The wet weather forced the socials to be moved indoors. Watermelon and freezies were served. Then the children collected their copy of their Memories to Treasure DVD or USB, which is a compilation of the pictures taken of each class and put to music each year.
"These are beautiful DVDs/USBs that are lasting memories of each child’s preschool year," Lawrence said.
The preschool offers classes for both three and four-year-olds. Classes were full this year.
Mary's Little Lambs had two classes for four-year-olds, with 11 children in the morning and nine in the afternoon class; both classes met Tuesdays and Thursdays. Then they have 10 kids in the three-year-old class, which meets Wednesday.
Monthly themes are incorporated into the curriculum. For example, September is I am Special, and they focus on how each child is unique. Ksenych says each child brings a special gift to the classes, and she believes at this young age, they are so open to learning and sharing their joy and kindness with each other and with her.
Community helpers drop by throughout the year to discuss their respective professions. Firefighters and police officers are popular, not only because of their careers, but they often come with their vehicles so kids can hear the sirens. Dental hygienists, nurses, librarians and even a martial arts expert have also given their time.
Ksenych also prepares advancement report cards with positive remarks that update the parents on their child's advancements with language and art skills; physical and fine motor development; shapes; number and letter recognition; formation; and processing skills such as sequencing.
The preschool is set up as a kindergarten classroom, offering learning centres such as blocks, dress-ups, puzzles and collage areas, where use of scissors, glue, feathers and many other sensory items are employed to encourage the use of their imagination.
"We are extremely proud, grateful and encouraged to have received all the positive feedback from our parents," said Lawrence.
Over the years, she said many of their graduates have grown up, started families of their own and enrolled their children at the preschool.
Mary's Little Lambs is now taking registrations for fall classes and is encouraged by the numbers they have received already, especially for the morning classes.
"I have a few more than I had last year at this time, and then we usually get the bump over the summer, so I think they're looking pretty good," she said.
The preschool thanks Â鶹ÊÓƵ for continuing the tradition started by the Estevan Mercury of running the graduates' photos.
"We know the children and parents will be excited to see the grad pictures featured online this year. Your support means a lot to us all," she said.
