Students walk to first

Mike Swanson

While much of Laguna Beach High School’s class of 2003 hit Grad Night

Thursday to celebrate the end and beginning of an era, the

kindergarten class of 2003 at El Morro Elementary celebrated on the

playground.

As parents, relatives and teachers mingled, munching on snacks and

discussing the successful class, most of the graduates swung, slid

and climbed as if it was just another recess.

The children wore Hawaiian garb as part of the Cowabunga 2003

theme, including leis that represented more than just decorative neck

gear to at least one student.

“You have to wear that to graduate to first grade,” Jake Tidd said

after getting his diploma.

The new first-graders participated in the ceremony of accepting

diplomas and shaking hands with the school’s principal just like high

school graduates, but they also received a lesson about making eye

contact when shaking hands and listened to a story instead of a

valedictory.

Principal Joanne Culverhouse read “The Feeling Book” by Todd Parr

to the graduates in place of a speech, stressing that sometimes you

can feel like doing anything, from nothing to kissing a sea lion, but

you need to talk about what you feel.

“When you go into first grade next year,” Culverhouse said to the

graduates, “you’ll be here all day long, feeling new things. It’s

important that you share those feelings.”

Culverhouse shared her feelings when she finished distributing

diplomas.

“The rules are, you have to take them home with you now,”

Culverhouse said to the parents. “They’re all yours for the summer.”

Students treated the proof of their accomplishment, their

diplomas, differently. Some held it carefully, some set it down next

to them, some handed it to their parents to take care of and some

handled it like they would any piece of homework that didn’t seem too

significant.

Michael Dworakowski, however, crumpled and uncrumpled the diploma,

which needed only a coffee stain to assume the look of an important

office document mistakenly tossed in the trash. He was apparently

more satisfied with the knowledge that he’d accomplished something

than with the paper proof.

Dino Sandler-Romeo, who kept his diploma in decent condition, was

ready for his parents to heed Culverhouse’s shared feelings.

“Mom,” Dino yelled, “you have to take me home now! It’s over!”

The end hasn’t been easy in either of Christy Montes’ two years

teaching kindergarten at El Morro. She cried as she hugged and kissed

Brittany Waltenburg and Charlotte McManus goodbye.

“This is so much more than just academics,” Montes said, “it’s

nurturing. We all get so attached, and it’s so hard to say goodbye.”

The El Morro kindergarten graduation was one where nose-picking

boys and girls who haven’t yet learned the age-old rule to cross

their legs ran more rampant than their high school counterparts, and

where the graduates showed no nerves.

The only self-conscious moments were in the kids’ struggle to

perform the congenial task of shaking hands, making eye contact and

smiling for the camera.

These graduates just wanted to play.

The jump to first grade isn’t as significant as it used to be

because of the decrease in crafts time and increase in academics in

the kindergarten curriculum, but the extension from a

three-and-a-half hour kindergarten to a full day of first grade is a

big change, Culverhouse said.

Now-first-grader Tim Andrews is looking even farther ahead.

“I’d rather be 10,” he said.

* MIKE SWANSON is a

reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. He covers

education, public safety and City Hall. He can be reached at 494-4321

or [email protected].