Kindergarten friends…..

Like lots of Concordia Preschool parents, I too saw my daughter Amelie graduate from Concordia Preschool and begin Kindergarten this month.

Starting kindergarten has been a challenge in our home. We have a couple of friends that have followed us from Concordia Preschool to Allen Elementary, but so many more that went to different schools depending on where they live.

With these changes, I have had time to reflect on the people that are in my life. I have what I call my adult friends, the people that I have met and bonded with as an adult. I also have my childhood friends. These are people that I’ve grown up with, people I have changed with, and people I have known throughout the different stages of my life.

Now that Amelie is moving up and growing, it is my responsibility to make sure that she keeps in contact with the kids that she is growing up with. I have been lucky to have the opportunity to get to know the families here at Concordia, as well as to be able to see them and plan play dates before they become a distant memory.

Elementary School will be challenging! I know how appreciative I am to my mom for helping me keep my childhood friends, and I want my daughter to have the feeling of having someone to talk to that understands you, not because you are making sense, but because you have the bond that took years to create.

In the picture are some of Amelie’s good friends who are attending Allen Elementary School.  I wonder who of them will be her lifelong friends.  I know I have a big part to play in that.  I am up to the challenge!

Time Flies…..

Enjoy them now because they grow up so fast…

How many times have you as a parent heard that from someone older and wiser then you. I know I can’t count the number of times I have been told that; and usually it’s after I’m frustrated and feeling like I’ve just lost a battle.

Here it is a couple of days after my only child’s pre-school graduation, realizing that there are only six weeks and two days left before our first day of kindergarten. Where did the time go? We just learned to walk.

I pull out the photo album and show her what a beautiful baby she was. I kiss her on the head and thank God for giving me such a precious gift. I wonder what the next five years are going to be like, and start thinking of what kind of young lady she will be. I know things don’t happen by chance, we need to see what we want the future to be like, plan the steps we need to take to get there, and pray to God for His help, and guidance.

I worry about the challenges that she will run into as she grows up, and hope that we have taught her to make to right choices. I often think of the saying “What Would Jesus Do” or “WWJD”, and hope I say it enough to her, so she can use it when making decisions……. but in the end I am not alone. It’s great and really true that it takes a  village to help you raise a child.  I am glad we have a church family.  I am especially glad that over the last two years she has learned that God made her, God loves her and that Jesus is her forever friend.

They have been good lessons. I am confident that God will direct her path.

EASTER!

These days seem a blur!  Easter eggs and Easter bunnys and chapel (about the real Easter miracle)  lots of fun mixed in with learning and growing and playing…..the life of a preschool director!

We are very excited here at Concordia preschool to host a mega….and I mean mega….Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, the 23rd.  It will be from 9am to noon and you don’t want to miss it.  Invite all your friends and family. 

If you don’t have plans for celebrating Easter SUNDAY, I will be here for the Fam Jam service at 10:30am on SUnday (and shhhhh…but we will have a second Easter Egg Hunt after this service too!)  Mr. Partch and his family will be attending the Easter Service on Saturday at 6pm so you will see him there if that is a better time for your family.

Getting ready for Kindergarten!

It is a most exciting time……it is a most stressful time for parents of Kindergarteners!  We are getting our children enrolled in school and there is fierce competition!  Some parents have waited in early forming lines.  In other schools there is a lottery system for a limited number of spots!

In all of this I am grateful for Concordia Preschool’s goal to get children exceptionally prepared for Kindergarten.

We will be graduating our second class this year so we already are tracking the progress of last years students and we are hearing that children who attended Concordia Preschool and entered Kindergarten last fall are performing at the top of their classes.

That makes us very happy.

It serves to relief the stress a bit for this year’s parents.

It is relieving my stress a bit too.  Yes, I am the parent of a preschoolers as is Assistant Director Mr. Partch.  It is a cool thing to be going through the same things that all of our preschool parents are going through at the same time.

I am excited to see what my daughter Amelie and all my Concordia Preschool “children” will do as they enter this new phase of life.  I am excited to think about their whole journey and that we were a part of it.

A New Year….

Beginning a new year is always full of opportunities.  I was ready for some change and began with a cleaning spree in closets and the garage  ….  and changing my hair color!  There are lots of other changes on the horizon.  Amelie will be starting kindergarten this year and Paul, my husband will be working at a new job.

Fresh starts give an opportunity to evaluate life and goals.  This year I want to be more organized. I want to be more active and fit and begin to be intentional about getting out with the family.  We live in the best city — close to the beach and the mountains –where the outside, active lifestyle should be natural. It isn’t. It all takes being intentional.  I want to eat better which means more home cooked meals.

My guiding questions?  What do I want 2011 to look like?

Sunday was a good start too.  As we look at “Hitting the Target on the Things that Matter Most” at church,  I want to be moving toward my goals.  That includes getting to know God better and love Him more.  We will all be better for it too.

If you are also asking the question of what you want your 2011 to look like ……join me on Sundays at 10:30am. It will help you figure out how to hit the mark on the things that really matter. I will be there … trying to figure it all out too! 

2011 is going to be a great year.  I just know it!

Thankful for the beauty of God’s world.

We have been cultivating an attitude of gratitude as part of the message series on Sunday. Last week my husband Paul and I had the opportunity to experience a cruise and travel down the coast of Mexico. The cruise experience was fun but the moment that most impacted me was a trip Paul and I took on horseback up to a mountain jungle in Puerto Vallarta.  There the beauty of nature was absolutely breathtaking!  The greenery, the rivers, the huge butterflies the size of my hand…all in their natural surroundings.  It made me thankful that I had the opportunity to be part of this natural beauty and realize how much you miss of God’s handiwork in nature when you are a city dweller!

Yes, it was great to enjoy some time to recharge and refresh and reconnect with the beauty all around me.  It was good to spend time with Paul away from our busy schedules.  It was good to stop and enjoy beauty…….and finally, it was good to return home. I missed Amelie so much but she had a great week with her grandmother.  In fact, her first words to me were:  ”Can I stay longer with ma (her grandmother)?”  So much for being missed……

Thank you Lord for beauty, blessings, rest and a beautiful change of scenery. It was all very good.

The Team is at Work…..

What am I thinking about this week?  We are days away from celebrating Concordia’s first anniversary and when I really think about this question, two words come to mind: surprise and gratitude!   I could have never see this one year ago when I was excited to be one of the first preschool teachers hired to begin this new school, helping to launch a new church with the opportunity to serve new families in a new community that I would be stepping into the Director’s shoes a year later.

I just saw today two comments to my blog:

	Comment	In Response To
	Author	Comment	In Response To
	Deidra Menser	2010/09/11 at 10:04 am Ms. Juneau, Hello from Australia! You and Mr. Partch are doing a wonderful job as a leadership team…we can’t wait to come back to be in Concordia again in 3 months. Keep up the good work! Deidra & Adalyn Menser Ms. Juneau, Hello from Australia! You and Mr. Partch are doing a wonderful job as a leadership team…we can’t wait to come back to be in Concordia again in 3 months. Keep up the good work! <img src='http://s0.wp.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif?m=1306998965g' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> Deidra &amp; Adalyn M Deidra Menser 0 ApproveUnapprove | Reply | Quick Edit | Edit | Spam | Trash	BIG work….BIG challenge…. BIG joy! 4 #
	Tiffany O’Leary	2010/09/09 at 3:34 am Ms. Juneau, you were an amazing teacher to Ainsley last year! I am excited for you as you take on this new challenge. I know you will do a great job!

I am so grateful for the support of parents who have given me such words of encouragement and support!  Wow.

The days are often a blur, my head is often filled with numbers (ratios, how many on the playground, how many spaces are there, which teacher needs support, time to divide nap rooms, etc.), with urgencies, with prayers……usually all at the same time!  But every day, when there is time for a quick breather or I sit down for what seems the tenth time to finish my sandwich at my desk, I am very aware that there are so many people serving and praying and supporting the work of the preschool so that we can be successful and serve families of this new community and region in the Chula Vista South Bay……..and I am grateful.

There are staff that not only work here day in and out but many of them volunteer time to make sure that we serve with excellence. They work in hours that you see, but in hours that you do not see as they prepare and serve.  The teachers volunteer time so that Parents can have a date night, which by the way is coming up Friday, September 24th.  They will be there volunteering on Saturday during our anniversary event.

Pastor is always there when parents or staff need encouraging words and support, counsel and a listening ear.  We have literally called on him day and night!  Rosie Pena, our business administrator goes out of her way to make sure parents and staff feel supported.  Dorie Radichel, our volunteer special projects person coordinates volunteers to make sure that the preschool looks good. She is the coordinator of so many projects large and small, that you would be amazed how much this lady in her 80′s accomplishes for Concordia Preschool.  She is a support on the newest project and makes possible through the Women of Concordia, that teachers can send personalized birthday cards to our Concordia Preschool children for their birthdays.  Melissa Salomon is our communications and web person.  Although she is a park time staff person at Concordia she gives crazy volunteer hours too getting events organized and working with volunteers.  Disa Zaiser, is a volunteer mom who makes the purchases of nutrition items needed by the preschool every Friday and her husband Kurt, volunteers literally hundreds of hours in behind the scenes work, from website and video creations to helping us troubleshoot computer problems that come up.  Concordia moms volunteer time to help with school projects, like distributing our emergency school packets from the last school year to organizations that help at risk families in Chula Vista, or another mom who helped prep the art work for the upcoming art show. There is a volunteer school board and the members donate their time and experience and talent to help us make sure we are using our resources wisely and encourage and support us. There are people like Kent Carson, Bob DeCant, Jim Magnuson, Paul Juneau, John Livsey, Jim Kelley and Tony Pacheco who volunteer to paint, fix, hang, wash and do many projects that need doing around the Preschool building. There is a lovely lady with silver hair and smiling eyes and often wears a lime green Concordia polo shirt who you may have seen around campus.  She helps every week inputting data into our preschool data base, making sure the many documents we are required to have on hand for children registered are up to date and current. Her name is Carol Magnuson.  There are ladies who come on Fridays and help often especially when new student packets have to be assembled.  There are so many volunteers, some I don’t even know yet.  But it is the effort of all these people and so many more who pray for the school, for the students and families……for me, that make the Concordia Preschool successful.

I have the privilege of serving as Director of Concordia Preschool but there is a whole team at work.  Team work.  Nothing of great importance can be accomplished without it.  With it, and God’s grace and favor, everything is possible.

BIG work….BIG challenge…. BIG joy!

Wow.  What a challenge stepping into leadership here at the preschool with such an dynamic program and active and creative staff!  It’s like stepping into the rapids…..and keeping your balance!  As we have let the parents know already, Mrs. Mason our founding director and her daughter, Pre-K teacher Miss Deanna Otto are moving this week to Colorado for new adventures and experiences.  We wish them well!

I had no idea that when I came to teach at Concordia my education and preparation to be a director would actually be used so quickly!  Looking back on everything, I am so glad I had the opportunity to first be trained on the Concordia vision and have the first year to know the staff so well as a peer (this was a big advantage!)  The staff has been so supportive of the team concept of working and leading.  I recognize that we all have diverse gifts and all will be called upon to contribute with own unique gifts, skills, experiences and passions.  One of the biggest advantages is having Mr. Aaron Partch as assistant director.  In reality, we are a leadership team committed to the goal of making Concordia Preschool the most amazing place for young children to learn and for families to connect!  I so appreciate the partnership of parents and ask for your prayers too!

Now I am set up with my own blog.  I will document here some of the amazing adventures that will come as we together create a premier educational experience for young children!