Last night Pathways for Children, Gloucester Public Schools, Gloucester Education Foundation, and an incredible team of partners welcomed the Class of 2036 to the Gloucester Public Schools! Countdown to Kindergarten is Gloucester’s annual community celebration to welcome our newest students and their families to the Gloucester Schools. 132 new kindergarteners and more than 250 of their family members had a chance to:

• Meet teachers, principals, and PTO leaders from each of the four elementary schools;
• Do activities and receive books, crafts, treats, recipes, and more from GEF, Pathways, The Open Door, Backyard Growers, Cape Ann YMCA, First R Foundation, Wellspring, Cape Ann Art Haven, and the Cape Ann Museum;
• Rock out and sing along to Jammin’ With You, who provided a live musical performance;
• Take “Class of 2036” photos in the GEF photo booth with volunteer photographer Marty Del Vecchio; and
• Get a new backpack to start the school year!

Thank you to all of the partners, sponsors, and volunteers who made this event possible, to the school staff who took a break from their summer vacation to meet their new students, to Gloucester High School for stepping in to host the event this year, to the many elected officials who attended, and most of all, to the kindergarteners who were brave enough to come to this big, noisy space to launch their careers as Gloucester students! We’re so excited to watch you grow, learn, and thrive in our schools, and GEF is proud to support you on your K-12 journey.

A special thanks to Amy Larsen from Pathways for Children and Christine Castle from the Gloucester Schools for their leadership on this event.