January 29, 2023
Preschool Sunday Message
Good morning. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Jessica Slessman and today I am here as both a member of our congregation and as Soapstone’s preschool director. I am just so happy to be with you all this morning, on this Preschool Sunday, as we celebrate the ministry of our sweet preschool and to recognize the incredibly talented staff, the wondrous children, and generous families who make up our very special preschool community.
I’ve spoken several times to this congregation before about my love for this preschool, but if you know me, I’ll talk about my love for it all day long and anytime – of course I will – I am a proud mom of 2 Soapstone Preschool alumni. The last time I had the opportunity was in 2020, outside at the JCC, where I spoke about the resilience and strength of this ministry as we operated under very unique conditions in order to keep our doors open during the pandemic. Fast-forward over two and a half years, and I’m so proud to report that our preschool did not just survive, but thrived and is still thriving in the wake of an unprecedented time in education and the growth and development of our youngest children.
So here we are today. I’ll give you a brief run-down of some numbers. This year we are so lucky to work with 135 students, aged 15 months through 5 years old – that is 117 families that we serve. We stay busy in the summer, holding 2 weeks of summer camp that average around 40 children each week, and many of our preschoolers attend VBS as well. We have 26 staff members that include all age groups, music, yoga, and my right-hand office man, Mika Scarlett. We are also supported by the Preschool Advisory Committee, chaired by Renee Gonzales, who is savoring her last months as a preschool mom. We opened our enrollment period for the 2023-24 school year a week and a half ago and so far we have 121 students enrolled, with the majority of our classes capped and those with waiting lists. It’s a really exciting time to be at Soapstone preschool.
But our numbers do not come close to telling the full story of this preschool ministry. Instead, our play-based philosophy, our children, our staff, our families – complete this picture and again motivates me to write my ongoing love letter that I write each year for preschool Sunday.
As a play-based preschool, we focus on developing the social and emotional skills for our preschoolers – these are the critical foundational skills that all kiddos need. Children learn and grow with intentional play, as they learn how to advance from playing alongside another child to playing with them, to using their words to advocate for themselves and others, to take turns, and to be kind. The kiddos learn strategies to help them regulate their big emotions and feelings – which, if you ask any parent who has or had a 2 or 3 or 4 year old – those feelings can get really BIG. At the end of the day, our job at this preschool is to ensure that each child who walks through our doors feel both safe and loved.
I could tell you story after story about the incredible children who attend our preschool. The two brothers who legit run into my arms every morning when they come into the preschool lobby. The one child whose tote bag is bigger than him and somehow loses a shoe or a coat walking to his classroom in the mornings. The one child who cried each day for over a month (maybe 2) but ran to hug her teachers after Christmas break. I don’t know if you have spent much time in a preschool hallway, but the things you hear are pretty funny. These kiddos love to get dirty, have very strong preferences on their bike of choice on the playground, can handle their way around a paintbrush (not so much with pair of scissors), can navigate a balance beam and sing loudly in music with Ms. Lisa, can somehow move their little bodies into yoga poses way better than I can with Ms. Tanya, and can sing the Bible song from heart with Mr. Danny in chapel. They also intentionally wish friends well who are sick and missing school, comfort friends who are hurt, and ask lonely friends to play. They wear their emotions and compassion on their sleeve and continue to surprise us and teach us.
I could tell you story after story about the incredible staff of this preschool, who remain the heart of this ministry, as they use the gifts and talents that God has given them. The teachers who research and implement countless strategies to help children with different needs in their classrooms. The teachers who stay up at night responding to parent emails and providing reassurance. The teachers that give the best snuggles, who laugh with the children, who are present and engaged in play and learning with each child because they are genuinely interested in them. Because they love these kids. And this staff loves each other just as they love the children. They support each other through life’s journey and prayerfully watch over one another, through cancer diagnoses and treatments, heartaches and traumas, through the joys of new babies, proud momma moments, a new yoga pants purchase – this staff is a rock for each other.
Finally, our families. The families who bring coffee and milkshakes and doughnuts into their teachers because sometimes they JUST need it. The families who give us a heads up if their child had a rough night or a tough morning, so we can be in best support for that child. The families who – for 3 years – have worked so diligently to follow ever-changing healthy policies and COVID restrictions, even when it has just been exhausting and disheartening. The families that come to us with prayerful concerns and those that pray over us. The families that entrust this ministry to care for their children and whose faith in this preschool carries us.
Finally, before I leave you with a slideshow of our top moments from this school year – a personal note about the impact this preschool ministry has had on me. I have always believed that I was called to do this job, and it has changed me. Even in the toughest of times through the pandemic and through my son’s cancer diagnosis, this preschool has shown me the true power of how God walks among us and with us. My life is richer and better because of these children, because of these families who support and trust us, because of this staff whom I am honored to be a part of, and by this church, who believes in the work we do each day to impact children’s lives. Thank you.