Yesterday, we held one of the most successful Open House gatherings in our history. Forty-one families visited and 27 took registration packets. As usual, Ms. Laura was swamped with parents and children interested in kindergarten and they were all excited about the possibility of joining The GreenMount School. The other large group was represented by families interested in coming here for grade six.
We always have some attrition at the end of the year due to people moving or choosing a different school, but we are finding more and more that, once a family joins our school, they will almost certainly stay. With the interest we have in our school at present, it is very likely that we will be able to maintain our maximum enrollment. Also, much of the success of the Open House is due to the hard work of many of you who spent a lot of time on Saturday sprucing up the building, making it look wonderful for our potential new families. We are also grateful for students who play an important role as guides and who make that first visit to our school an impressive one. I told the students this morning that we have often heard from adults that the deciding factor for wanting to come to GreenMount was the quality of the guide they had at Open House. They know that if their child can display the confidence and poise that their guide had, they must become a part of this school.
Finally, we must acknowledge the teachers and staff who also contributed to those lasting impressions that our prospective parents have. I was myself impressed with the presentations given by our teachers. Also, we thank Ms. Elaine and her staff of parents who made sure everyone signed in and were set off on their tours. And as usual, Ms. Jill was here early setting up coffee and a wonderful spread of “tasteful” goodies for everyone to enjoy.
A sentimental note: On Thursday I got a call from my 12-year-old grandson in Chico, California, from his new cell phone he received for his birthday. Every time I hear from him or see him, I ask him the usual questions about school, the sports he is playing, and he always rolls his eyes when I tell him how tall he is getting. Because I don’t see him very much, I am always surprised at the way he has changed. And when he called Thursday, I didn’t recognize his voice because it was suddenly so deep and adult-sounding. When we ended the call, I sat back in my chair reflecting on how quickly he has grown up. The last 12 years since his birth have been a blur and I only hope that I have done a good job as his Pop-Pop. However, with seven other grand and step-grand children, I still have time to refine my Pop-Pop skills as the latest is only a month old. Equally baffling is how fast the years have gone by since my first child was born 42 years ago.
So beware, the joy of parenting is fleeting. Before you know it, they are leaving GreenMount for high school and then college and then out in the world (for your children that really means the world). Unless of course, they come back to live in your basement. That happens, too!
“It's not only children who grow. Parents do, too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it myself.” ~Joyce Maynard
Cheers,
Steve
