FORT HOOD, Texas -- Students and staff here at Meadows Elementary School welcomed Linda Odierno, spouse of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, April 2, for a tour and a look at the Pre-K program.
Odierno, who spent the day visiting the installation with Lynda MacFarland, spouse of III Corps and Fort Hood Commanding General Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, was welcomed with hand-decorated signs and a song from the school's Pre-K 3 and 4 students.
Meadows Elementary Principal Nancy Duran led the senior spouses through the school to visit one first-grade class and several of the Pre-K 3 and 4 programs. In the classrooms she visited, Odierno knelt down and gave each child an Army pin and chatted with them as Duran explained the school's Pre-K and academic programs.
First-grader Hawke Cutler, 7, said his Soldier-father would be "happy" when he saw the shiny black pin that Odierno fastened on the boy's shirt.
With the pre-school students, Odierno assisted in decorating Easter eggs and other projects the classrooms were hosting, while taking the time to interact with each child.
Killeen Independent School District Superintendent John Craft said the visit was a welcomed opportunity to highlight the staff, students and programs at the school.
"We always like to show off our excellent academic programs," he said. "I hope she sees how precious our students are; and as she visits with the teachers, she will see a strong academic program at work."
District-wide, more than 3,000 children are enrolled in the Pre-K program, about 500 of those are in the 3-year-old program, Craft said.
"Pre-K is really another way to build a strong academic foundation," the KISD superintendent said. "It's really important to academic and social development."
KISD offers Pre-K 4 at all of its campuses, but the 3-year-old program, which began in December 2013, is only available to those who live on Fort Hood, the superintendent added.
Duran said the changes she has seen in the children are impressive.
"It has been amazing to see the progression and the growth," she said, noting the children's ability to learn not only academic concepts, but also about community and interacting with others.
Duran said Pre-K programs provide a solid educational foundation for children at and early age and helps prepare them to enter school, as well as the opportunities for social and emotional development.
The Pre-K 3 program introduces children to letters, colors, numbers and other fundamentals upon which the Pre-K 4 program builds, but there are other intangibles the children learn such as compassion and empathy, Duran added. Getting that early start on social and academic development is especially important for military children because of their frequent moves and school transfers.
"This is really important, especially for military children," Duran added. "With that mobility, they move around a lot."
Having military children attending school together also allows them to help each other because they share the bond of those who know what it is like to move frequently and make new friends, she said.
"Our students are very resilient and very welcoming," Duran said. "They understand."
As a veteran, Duran said military children have a special place in her heart and her position allows her to continue to serve the Soldiers.
"We are all about taking care of Soldiers because our Soldiers are taking care of us," Duran said.
Meadows Elementary is one of seven KISD elementary schools located on the installation. There are two KISD middle schools on Fort Hood as well to serve military students.
Odierno said she enjoyed the visit to the school, especially interacting with the children.
"I love children," she said. "I have four grandsons and when I am here, I feel like I am with my grandchildren."
Odierno said the program was impressive.
"I think children are our greatest asset," she said, "and we want them to have the best start."
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