This spring the Kingfisher Preschool in Sooke will celebrate its 30th birthday.
More than a thousand children have passed through the doors over the years and gained valuable life skills thanks to this Sooke Family Resource Society (SFRS) program.
In the early ‘90s local realtor Tammy Dimmock’s three children all went through the curriculum at the small preschool, in the various locations it was offered. All of her children, who are now adults, still have friendships with their fellow Kingfisher classmates.
Not only did her children learn valuable skills in preschool, Dimmock learned a lot about parenting too.
At Kingfisher Preschool parents have always been welcomed to participate as part of the SFRS community, and Tammy shared a memory that still brings a broad smile.
When the program moved to the old farmhouse on the grounds where Poirier Elementary School stands now, Dimmock offered to help paint a barn with a very powerful paint gun.
Some paint ended up getting on a beautiful black car by accident. The barn got painted and after $150, so did the car.
When Kendall Arnold enrolled her daughter Quinn in Kingfisher Preschool 14 years ago, she figured it would be a good place for her to learn about letters, numbers, shapes and making friends.
Quinn made friends and was building a good foundation for Kindergarten. The teachers were friendly and dedicated to their jobs.
Then they offered Arnold some information she never expected. They expressed some concern for Quinn’s speech and explained that Quinn may need some support to prepare for kindergarten.
After an assessment, Quinn started working with a speech therapist and with her parents. It was the keen ear of the teachers at the Kingfisher that enables the family to identify the issue and Quinn’s speech was back on track by the time she started elementary school.
Both Tammy and Kendall remember how much their children enjoyed the program and their preschool teachers.
Today, teachers at Kingfisher Preschool like to follow up with their former students who are still in Sooke, with small gifts and cards when they graduate from middle school and high school. Local youth are reminded of the great times they enjoyed at Kingfisher.
Save the date May 26, 2018 for a celebration of Sooke Family Resource Society caring for our community since 1984.
SFRS wants to hear from you! Send your SFRS stories and experiences about any one of our 20 programs to info@sfrs.ca
Nicky Logins, Sooke