Dear Class of 2012 (aka Class of 2025)

What happened? Weren’t you all just babies? How is it you are heading off to kindergarten in a few weeks? We met many of you when you were teensy babies- Ms. Shannon’s first group as a matter of fact. Slowly you all joined us, and brought so much sunshine to each and every day. Just yesterday we were rocking you to sleep, now we are watching you skitter across the monkey bars, seemingly part monkey yourself. Remember when we used to go on walks in the woods? You were new to walking, and still unsteady on your feet. You tripped going over that log and were so discouraged you cried. We held your hand and tried again. Now you blaze through the forest, leaping and flying like any number of mythical animals. Every time one of you was potty trained it was like a victory cry.  We did it! YOU did it! And how you made us laugh! We taught you, but really you taught us too. We showed you how to make mud pies, but you showed us how to smash it with every part of your body. We showed you where the sandbox was, you showed us where the sand REALLY should be... i.e anywhere but in the sandbox. We showed you how to balance on a tree, you showed us how you can brush yourself off when you fall.  How lucky we are to have been there with you these past few years. 

Some of our babies in 2006

These were giant developmental years for you, but one day you will probably forget your teachers at TLS. You’ll vaguely remember some crazy curly haired teacher that dipped you in paint, or maybe a willowy memory of digging out winding creeks with your friends trying to make a boat float. But mostly, we will fade into the back of your mind. Even so, we like to think that we will still be with you: in every mud puddle you attack, in every calming breath, in every cloud you imagine is a hawk (no wait, on old man... no a tree!)  there will be a little bit of us with you. We love each and every one of you, and sincerely thank you for sharing your incredible awesomeness with us!

Today!

So what are you going to do with all that we taught you? I asked the kids to tell me what they were going to be when they grew up. This is what they told me:


Lila A: “I’m going to be Lila!” 

Nicholas B: “A dare-devil motorcycle driver, and a person is going to race me”

Annabelle B: “I want to be everything” 

Xavier B: “A race car driver with a cannon on it"

Lakshman B: “A fireman”

Eric C: “A lego builder”

Ava C: “A horseback rider. My horse is going to be a white one”

Michael C: “A basketball player”

Chloe C: “A veterinarian”

Elyse C: “A teacher”

John F: “I want to be a pilot of planes that fly all around the state, and a basketball player.” 

Colin F: “I want to be a firefighter”

James F: “Paleontologist” 

Sierra G: “An artist and a teacher” 

Noah J: “I’m going to be a monster truck driver”

Una J: ”I want to be a... what are those ropes that hang in the air? In front of a stage? Oh yeah, a trapeze artist!” 

Vidya K: “A ballerina-artist”

Taylor K: “I want to be a horse rider and dancer, maybe a horse trainer and dancer”

Benjamin K: “ I want to be an ice-cream worker”

Carl K: “I’m just going to work- just work. I am going to wear what Daddy wears”

Eleanor L: “Each day I am going to do art”

Katy Bryn L: "An artist who paints at twilight and night. I will also be the kind of artist who takes breaks on Saturdays and Sundays to catch bugs and cool nature stuff"

Alexander L: “An artist that paints and draws”

Leighton M: I’m going to be a zookeeper. I’m going to feed all the lions”

Sammy M: “I’m going to be a teacher at this school, and then I am going to quit and be a veterinarian”

Graham M: “A race car driver. My car is going to be half red and half orange” 

Claire M: “I want to do gymnastics. Actually, I want to be a vet too”

Ellie M: “The Captain of a ship and sail wherever my boat can go”

Cyrus N: “A fast race car driver”

Fleury N: “A race car driver. Me and Xavier are going to be in the same car”

Sawyer P: "I to be a superhero, but I can't cause their not real"

Chloe Jane P: “I am going to be a builder. I am going to build buildings” 

Anna P: “I am going to be the same thing my sister is, but I don’t know what she is yet”

Lorelei R: “I’m going to be a painter... an artist. Actually, an artist and a yoga teacher”

Nathan R: “A rock star because I have really good dance moves”

Luke R: “A fireman” 

Kathryn R: “I am going to be a teacher. I am going to teach art”

Mark S: “A scientist, a safari guy or an animal doctor”

Eric S: “A professional ice hockey player”

Julie S: “I choose to stay with my family and help clean-up” 

Lyndon S: “ I am going to go to summer camp. When I am as tall as Daddy I am going to work sometimes, make money sometimes, build houses sometimes. That’s all I know so far”

Anna T: “An animal doctor” 

Elias T: “I’m going to be a lego maker, because I love legos”

Brenna W: “A veterinarian”