On May 13th the Fair Grove Elementary held their annual Kindergarten Graduation to represent the transition from kindergarten to first grade.
The elementary students put on a program for their graduation. Catrina Gore, one of the kindergarten teachers, said that the students have worked hard to get ready for the program. She continued that they worked to learn songs as well as speaking parts.
The teachers also had a part in getting things ready for the graduation ceremony. Fair Grove Kindergarten Teacher, Michelle Graves said, “Every year, Mrs. Lumley starts preparing the students by practicing the songs they are going to sing. Once it gets closer to performance time, we divide up speaking parts. We practice at school with them and they get a paper to practice at home!”
Graves shared that the students were immensely proud of their own accomplishments. She continued that they had watched all of the other grade levels perform their own programs and that they couldn’t wait to perform a program of their own.
The kindergarten students were looking forward to the upcoming summer and officially moving up to first grade. Gore explained that they have been excited for the summer and being “big kids.”
Graves stated that the graduation ceremony is a fun time to be able to celebrate the students’ first year in the “big” school.
The teachers have memories that they have created with their students. Graves said that one of her favorite parts is that she gets to know them on the day to day as well as getting to know their families.
Gore shared that she enjoys the funny things that the kindergartners say each and every day, “The way their looks change, with the biggest one being losing baby teeth and growing big teeth. The knowledge they have gained. They come in not even knowing their letters or sounds, and leave being able to read pretty awesome books! The last day is VERY hard!”
Gore explained that the ceremony is a way to show the growth of a student and the struggle of watching them graduate, “It’s so fun to think of each child’s growth from the beginning of the year to the end. It’s a very bitter sweet time, because it’s also very sad to see them go.”
