Early Learning Excellence!

As a working mom and principal, I’m rarely home.

The honest truth is that I would like to think that because of how much I truly value education and opportunities for kiddos, that I spend an enormous amount of time with my own boys teaching them foundational skills and reading to them every night.  The truth is, I don’t.


I don’t always have the time.
I don’t always have the energy.
Sometimes I hand my boys my phone.
Sometimes I allow the TV to engage them during dinner.


However, I’ve been extremely lucky to have an amazing team behind me, ensuring that their needs are met.  On a recent family trip, that became incredibly obvious.

As we were driving down to Islamorada in my truck, my five year old spent part of the trip counting to 100, rhyming words, asking questions, asking us to quiz him on letter sounds in words... he wanted us to interact with him with what he learned this summer.

You see, he has been a part of an incredible program offered by Indian River County called, Step into Kindergarten.  Through generous donations, grants, and local support our incoming title-one kindergartners are given an opportunity for a summer learning experience to prepare them for entering school.  I was absolutely blown away by the growth the kiddos made at VBE as a principal and lead learner, but it hit even harder when I was able to watch my own child leave this summer as an emergent reader.

I want every single child to come into elementary school feeling this confident, proud, and eager to share what they are learning.  I’m so thankful to live in a community that values this, that realizes funding programs like STEP into K, will lead to future success for our children.

Thank you Karen Malits for organizing this, monitoring it, and for ensuring our kiddos are given opportunities to find success before entering Kindergarten!

Thank you Cynthia Falardeau for being an incredible asset to our district, your devotion to our students is something that I value and treasure. You are one of the reasons why our District has and will remain successful!

Thank you Brooke Flood, for organizing and running an incredible pre-K program!  Our families rave about the learning and opportunities given to their children that set them up for outstanding results!

On a proud principal note, we were lucky enough to have two and a half classes of students from my school alone participate in the program.  Over 40 students at Vero Beach Elementary will enter our learning environment ready to take on the challenges and rigor!  Our Little Indians are ready to thrive!

Thank you to all the sponsors, donors, and grants that make programs like this available to our kiddos.

Your investment in our community doesn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated.


STEP into K