ICNS:: A Celebration

In February 2006 I had been thinking about where Nathan would go to preschool in the fall. My mom encouraged me to go over to this preschool near my house. I had seen the sign, but hadn't ventured in to see what it was about. The school was Irvine Community Nursery school. I got into a mommy and me class and then petitioned to get a spot for Nathan in their two day class (already filling up fast by March). Well, Nathan got in and I joined the board and so began our amazing journey at a fantastic school. ICNS is a parent co-operative preschool. Parents work so many hours each month- being a parent teacher. We also attended monthly educational meetings, but the tuition was a fraction of the cost of a normal preschool. I also liked that it was developmental and that the kids learned as they played.
Fast forward 5 years! Both of my sons went through two years each (back to back) which means I was there for 4 years straight. I served on the board for 3 out of the 4 years, watched my children grow in size and knowledge and I personally made some of the greatest friends I have. I love these women, their children and the shared experiences we have.
Today we celebrated our beloved teacher and director, Donna Schwartz, for having taught at the school for 25 years. It was a surprise party and at least a 80 plus families showed up to honor Ms. Donna. There was great food, lots of catching up, tons of pictures and many memories shared with other parents. The kids had such a great time and whether they were twenty or three, they didn't want to leave the party or the preschool. We may not be at ICNS any more and our kids have moved on, but Ms. Donna and this school will always have a special place in our hearts!

The boys and their beloved Ms. Donna

Nathan- Then and Now

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Jason- Then and now

I treasure this woman~~