“As a single father, I wanted my son Gabriel’s first day of school to be extra special!”
In August, Gabriel was about to start preschool at Jefferson County Head Start when his dad, Dylan, shared all the thoughts and emotions that accompany such a milestone.
In the weeks leading up to his first day, Gabriel and his dad visited the school and talked about some of the things he might experience.
"I wanted him to feel comfortable and visiting beforehand gave him the assurance in knowing what to expect and got him even more excited. He was looking forward to meeting his teacher and making new friends! On the night before his first day, we spent some time picking out the clothes he wanted to wear and getting his new Elmo backpack ready. We arrived a little early on his first day so he could see the big yellow school buses and watch all of the other kids being dropped off by their parents. Gabriel really liked the big school buses and can’t wait for his first field trip! I was able to take a few good pictures and then we walked into the school to go to his classroom and meet his teacher! He was absolutely thrilled to meet everyone and start playing.
Proud does not even begin to describe the feelings and emotions I had as we walked into his classroom on the first day of school. He’s overcome so much in his few short years and his resilience and determination is something we can all strive for."
Jefferson County Head Start is a no-cost, child-focused and family-centered preschool program committed to providing education, health, nutrition, and family services to children and families. Head Start is more than a preschool program; it provides a range of wrap-around, individualized services in several areas. Most importantly, it gives children who wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to go to preschool the ability to learn, participate, and be active in a school setting at an early age. Learn more at www.jeffco.us/head-start.