School and Community Winter 2024

students enthusiastically sing the days of the week to the tune of the Addams Family theme. “Days of the week, (snap snap) days of the week, (snap snap) ... There’s Monday and there’s Tuesday, there’s Wednesday and there’s Thursday...” Lowe cheerfully leads the class through a few repetitions of the song before moving on to the months of the year (Macarena version) and various methods of counting numbers. This is typically followed by a whole group activity, like searching for a partner with a matching puzzle piece based on rhyming vocabulary words. Following a period of vigorous learning, these young minds are ready for recess and a nutritious lunch. After the milk cartons and orange peels are discarded, the class prepares for more group time on the rug. “We do a program called Heggerty and then we go through the alphabet and read a story,” Lowe says. “Then we go through stations, which they really love.” The classroom is organized logistically with stations in each corner dedicated to specific tasks. When assigned to an area, small groups of students work together on games, flip through books, paint masterpieces and sort through bins of sensory materials to find matching letters. After all the excitement of rotating stations, the children are ready for their afternoon naps. Lowe unstacks 19 small cots and strategically places them around the room in each child’s preferred resting spot. Blankets in tow, the children lay their heads down on soft pillows as she turns off the lights. One boy sleeps directly next to Lowe’s desk, listening to a YouTube video on her phone as recommended by his parents. “It’s the strangest thing, I play this silly video and he’s out within seconds,” Lowe giggles. “I’m really blessed, and all my kids sleep pretty well. It’s tiring being in preschool. They’re exhausted by the end of the day, so after nap time we get up, have snacks and we get ready to go home.” The day did not always run this smoothly – Lowe worked diligently at the start of the school year to form trust and routines with each child. She emphasizes the significance of building relationships with students and their families, going the extra mile by conducting home visits before the school year begins. “Every year when I get a new group of kids, I want every child to know that they are special and that they are loved,” Lowe says. “I go to their homes and visit to let them know my expectations, what kind of things we’re going to do and just meet with them. I give them my cell phone number and email address, telling them there’s never a stupid question, just ask me. And so, it has really helped, especially this year.” She recounts the hurdles they faced at the start of the year, particularly with children who initially needed help navigating the transition to preschool. “I have a couple of students who just turned four years old, that really struggled. This was their first time away from home,” she says. “And just to hear from parents, ‘Thank you, they want to come to school now. I didn’t think we’d ever get to that point...’ that’s a personal goal of mine with every student that I have.” Lowe’s dedication, coupled with support from parents, creates a harmonious and supportive learning environment for all. This is a sentiment that she hopes will translate into her role as MSTA president as well - her involvement with the association has been a transformative journey. “My first year teaching in our district, it [the MSTA membership

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