The FIRST First Day!

There was one DK class, one Kindergarten class, one First Grade class, One Second Grade class, one combined Third/Fourth Grade class, and one combined Fourth/Fifth Grade class.

In all, 92 students and 17 teachers and staff, all ready to make friends, set up routines, and get down to the serious – and fun – business of learning.

To celebrate The Willows' opening, many people sent flowers -- so many, in fact, the multi-purpose room was filled to bursting. That gave one teacher an idea. "Let's bring the kids together to draw still lifes!" she said.

It was the first of many moments at The Willows where a spontaneous idea and some improvisational collaboration would lead to an unforgettable teaching moment.

“It was incredible,” recalls Curriculum Coordinator Carol DeNardo, who was at that time one of the founding members, the 2nd Grade teacher, and a parent of a 4th Grade student. “Classical music was playing, sunlight was streaming in, and all 92 students were together in the multipurpose room sketching flowers. We all had such a feeling of accomplishment for having made the impossible happen – and such excitement about what was in store.”

Every first day of school is a day of fresh starts, new beginnings and endless possibilities . . . but that first first day of school at The Willows was something special.

The School’s founders had turned a “What if?” into reality,
setting the stage for an exciting new venture . . . and many hope-filled first days to come.

Please join us in sharing your stories and reactions to the first days at The Willows. Send any photos or artwork to ssleeper@thewillows.org.