Happy Birthday!
Baby Steps
The heart and soul of our Preschool program - Ms. Nancy for 20 years and Ms. Denise for 12!
10 years ago, we took our place in line to enroll our first daughter in preschool…the day before registration was officially open. Back then, the process of securing a spot at the St. Francis of Assisi Preschool was not unlike buying tickets for a popular rock concert. You had to get there early to improve your chances.
The preschool director, Nancy Bourke, took pity on the group of parents who waited overnight (outside!) for registration to begin. She opened the building for us at 5 AM and let us in. She made coffee for us. And she accepted our hopeful applications with sincere love and humility.
In her 20 years of service as director of the preschool, Nancy has ushered through many changes in response to the needs of young families in the parish. (This includes, we are grateful to point out, a new registration process that doesn’t rely on sleeping outside.) Nancy Bourke and Denise Rinderer (Nancy’s long-time assistant and right-hand in preschool operations) are now the extended family for hundreds of children (and now-grown children), who know them as Miss Nancy and Miss Denise.
They are certainly part of our family even today. We remember how both Nancy and Denise shepherded us through our parenting needs and worries. They were also terrific stewards for the parish, and helped us as young parents to re-integrate ourselves into the Catholic faith. The preschool was our gateway back into this vibrant faith community, and we slowly involved ourselves in more and more parish activities. It was a journey of baby steps, but it now feels like we’ve come a long way. And even though our third and youngest child graduated from preschool over 2 years ago, we’re still on our journey.
The St. Francis of Assisi Preschool helped us to raise these young girls into well-educated, compassionate and faith-filled children. Our girls have learned to care about God’s creation, to strive for a just world and to honor a commitment to serving others. We owe a lot of credit to Miss Nancy and Miss Denise for their guidance and example.
Thank you, ladies, for your commitment to the Preschool, to St. Francis of Assisi and to Catholic education. Thanks to your dedication and enthusiasm over these past two decades, there are an entire generation’s worth of stories similar to ours.
Chris and Gail Hemedinger
St. Francis of Assisi Preschool begins its 20th anniversary year!
Ms. Nancy and her staff in 1991
The Preschool opened its doors in September of 1991 under the direction of Nancy Bourke and with the blessing of then-pastor, Father David McBriar. The staff, the campus and the world were a totally different place 20 years ago. What began as a 4 class program of 3 & 4 year old students has blossomed into a 14 class program for 200 children of 2, 3 and 4 years of age. The school was then comprised of 2 classrooms in Clare Hall and now encompasses all of the new Elizabeth Hall, with its state-of-the art facilities and additionally, the entire end of Clare Hall. The church itself was even different as it occupied the space that is now the Founders’ Room.
As the Preschool has continued to grow and change to meet the needs of our ever-bourgeoning parish, many things have remained the same: our commitment to the children and families of St. Francis of Assisi, providing a nurturing environment and excellent educational opportunities, and passing on Catholic traditions and faith to the children entrusted to us and to their families. The greatest blessing for the Preschool has been the continued leadership of our director, Nancy Bourke, who was at the helm of this fledgling program 20 years ago!
Look here throughout the summer for personal reminiscence of the life and times of St. Francis of Assisi Preschool. If you have a story or photo to share, please contact Gail Hemedinger at gadinger@nc.rr.com or 919/846-6780.
Opening our doors for the very first time
First class of children at St. Francis of Assisi Early Childhood Learning Center
20 years ago this fall, St. Francis of Assisi opened the doors of its very own preschool: the Early Childhood Learning Center. With a total of 58 students and 6 teachers, they began a tradition of nurturing little hearts and minds in faith and in knowledge. Mary Feeley, who now is an integral part of The Franciscan School’s Bridges program was one of the very first teachers and she shares this memory of what it was like:
“The first year I taught a 3-year old class with Michele Vitale on T/Th and a 4-year old class on M/W/F. We used two of the current classrooms in Clare Hall, rooms 205 and 206. It was such a small group compared to what it is now – the classes had 12 to 15 kids in each. Since it was so small, we were able to take field trips to places like the pumpkin farm, fire station, and the dentist. My son, Kevin was part of that first group of 3 year old children and he still remembers the fun he had playing with Lincoln Logs. It was an exciting time for both the children and for us, their teachers!”
Since that time, we have grown into a program that houses over 200 students in 10 classrooms, 14 different classes for children ages 2-4, 22 classroom teachers, 2 special area teachers and our parent-led classes. It is still an exciting time for us as we look back upon our early years as well as looking forward to our future and to the children and families we will serve along the way.
Spotlighting our history
Kathryn Friedman has been a fixture at the Preschool since 1996 when she enrolled her eldest son, Brock AND she began teaching the 3s. She co-taught with Karin Ruiz in room 205 with a total of 14 kids. Kathryn instituted our Music and Movement program in 1999 when Mr. Gene retired as the Preschool music instructor. With Mr. Gene, the children would have vocal music in the choir room and a separate movement class with their teacher, Ms. Sharon. Mr. Gene began his preschool teaching days in a room in Clare Hall and then graduated to the choir room with the children. Ms. Sharon used the old gym or, on nice days, the courtyard for her classes. Kathryn combined both to form an outstanding program that engaged the voices, mind and bodies of our preschool children.
Ms. Sharon got the 3s up and moving in the old gym in 1993
As each new member of the Friedman family arrived, Kathryn would retire from teaching the 3s until each was old enough to attend the Preschool and then she would return with new enthusiasm and drive. Throughout it all, she continued to enrich our preschoolers’ lives through her love of music and dance, games and song, gymnastics and sound in the Music and Movement program. She retired from this beloved post to teach the 3s full time with her long-time co-teacher, Kathy Halula.
Mr. Gene shares his musical gift with the 3s in 1993
Kathryn had these thoughts to share about her years at the Preschool:
“It has been a blessing to teach and learn with the staff and children here at St. Francis. Together, we have gained a deeper understanding of our faith by sharing the gifts that God has given us.”
Thank you, Kathryn, for Nurturing Little Hearts and Minds for the last 15 years out of the Preschool’s 20 year history!
