Horrible. Terrible. Indescribably B.A.D. Worse than you can imagine. To this day, one of the most traumatic experiences of my life.
Kindergarten.
It’s amazing I went back for Day #2. Nothing short of miraculous I survived the year. Really.
My mother was left with no alternative but to threaten a lawsuit. Julian Gibson, the legendary principal at North Forsyth, finally intervened and ordered the offending teacher to contact him directly… if she had any concerns about me.
So… you understand WHY I was more than a little passionate about finding the right community, the right school and, more importantly, the right teacher for Sophia’s first adventure in public education.
The answer was obvious – Catherine Davis.
It could be no other. I could not be moved. I would not change my mind. It was Catherine, or… well, there was no other option. It HAD to be Catherine.
Vienna Elementary School.
I had known Catherine forever. It felt like forever, anyway. We first crossed paths in the Winston-Salem Forsyth County School’s Faculty-Staff Chorus. She became a part of the Summer Enrichment family. Maple Springs United Methodist Church. The Chancel Choir. Handbells. Children’s choir. Church programs. Shows. Her daughter, Emily, sang in our wedding. Later on, Sophia and Miles were the flower girl and the ring bearer for Emily’s nuptials. Catherine IS family. Thanksgiving. Christmas. Anything important and Catherine is there. Always.
Other than me and Vikki. Vikki and I. Us. (And, the doctors and nurses.) Catherine was the first person to hold Sophia Elizabeth Griffin.
Catherine and Emily were with my mother when she took her final breath. Catherine is the one who called, “Maggie’s gone.”
When I think of the people I love, Catherine sits at the top of the list.
Given my own terrifying experience at Old Town Elementary, I was inarguably insistent. “A good beginning” to school was essential. Imperative. Non-negotiable. We wanted Sophia (and Miles) to love school. Vikki and I felt if we could help make that happen, it would make the rest of whatever-may-come in the schoolhouse, a LOT easier.
Teresa Hewitt was the principal at Vienna. I knew Teresa from Summer Enrichment. We did not live in the Vienna zone. “Teresa, I want Sophia in Catherine Davis’ kindergarten class. I’ll do anything. Whatever it takes. If I have to steal, beg, borrow, blackmail… you tell me and I will make it happen.”
“Jeffrey, Jeffrey, Jeffrey… honey. I think we can make that happen. How is your mama? Welcome to Vienna.”
And, so, Sophia had a seat in Catherine’s kindergarten classroom.
We. Were. Right.
Catherine was spectacular. Catherine Davis is everything a kindergarten teacher aspires to be.
In those first 180 days, Sophia fell in love with school. It happened exactly as we hoped it might.
Catherine promised Sophia (and, the entire class) a trip to Walt Disney World, if her leprechaun trap worked! (Vikki tried to cheat and we still didn’t catch him.)
Catherine kept her sense of humor when another parent complained. Vikki and I sent Sophia to school with bottles of Welch’s Sparkling Grape juice and disposable communion cups to celebrate the letter “W.”
Somewhere in the closing days of that first year, before the Pfafftown Olympics Field Day, Catherine called. “Jeffrey, I think another year of kindergarten would do Sophia a world of good.”
“Excuse me? Catherine, that’s not funny.”
“Jeffrey, this is not about you. I have this conversation with almost every family, every year and nobody takes the advice. She can move on to first grade, and, she’ll be fine. Or, she can do another year of kindergarten and thrive. You want her at the top and this is a way to make it happen. This is not about you being embarrassed. Nobody cares about an extra year of kindergarten. Do what’s right for her.”
Vikki was on Catherine’s side. I told them, “Let me talk to the girl and we’ll see.”
Father and daughter went to get ice cream.
“Sophia… Catherine would like it a whole lot if you would come back to kindergarten and help teach the class next year. Would you like that? Wanna be Catherine’s helper?”
“Daddy!” Her eyes got big and the smile was endless. “YES!”
I called Catherine. Her response? “I’m proud of you, Jeffrey.”
Sophia did, indeed, spend another 180 days with Catherine.
I trust few people with our children. Very few. It’s my character flaw and, honestly, I don’t feel too bad about it.
My job. My responsibility. My task. My effort. My work. My prayers. My dreams. My hopes. My loves. My life is, always and forever, Sophia and Miles. Vikki, too, of course.
I don’t take it lightly. I don’t cast it aside. I don’t dismiss it.
Miles Roswell Christian Griffin ALSO had a seat in Catherine’s kindergarten class. (Thank you, Teresa.)
As Sophia and Miles compete for championships and rings and trophies and I watch the grade point averages climb well above 4.0 (until now, I didn’t know that was a possibility) and I listen to them sing and play the piano and handbells and they share stories about teachers and friends and teammates at the dinner table and our mailbox fills with letters and flyers from schools near and far… I am frequently reminded of the good fortune our family has experienced.
With Catherine. It has made ALL the difference. I trust Catherine in all things.
Catherine Davis. She’s the one. In Catherine I trust.
Jeffrey Griffin 