This letter is a follow up to the conversation we had regarding the termination of our spot at the centre for our daughter effective March 1, 2010.

I wanted to also express my gratitude and heartfelt thanks to you and the entire staff of the centre. We have been touch by many wonderful caregivers at Panda. Our experience since we first started in September of 2007 has been incredible and magical. Jorja has blossomed with knowledge and is definitely a product of your wonderful program.

We will miss everyone at the centre, but will do our best to keep in touch and maybe come and visit once in a while!

This letter is notification that Steven’s last day at Panda will be Thursday, June 27, 2002.

I would like to thank all the Panda staff for their huge efforts and kindness over the last six plus years for taking care of Steven and Christopher.

I was a very nervous new mother seven years ago and spent many days searching for the best place for Christopher and I can honestly say that I found the best daycare and I was thankful that I didn’t have to do it all over again for Steven.

The ladies that have worked at this location have had nothing but positive influence on my children; they have always been very friendly and reassuring and made my days gcing to work a lot easier knowing that the children were safe and well cared for over the lo1g hours of the day.

Our heartfelt thanks to all of you!

To All of the Childcare Staff:

This letter is an overdue thank you to all of the staff at Panda Daycare for providing such educational, inspirational, loving care to my son and the other children.

As a parent, sometimes it is very difficult to leave your pride and joy in the hands of someone else. When those hands are very loving and very helpful towards your children it is so much easier to know that your child is happy and enjoying his time away from you.

Justin loves attending daycare and it is thanks to you all at Panda Daycare for doing such a wonderful job! I know that sometimes it must feel as if all of your efforts go unnoticed. The sole purpose of this letter is to say that all of your work is deeply appreciated. Thank you so much.

The purpose of this letter is to express our thanks for the excellent care that Marc has received at Panda over the last 5 years. The quality of the care, the children’s programs and activities are all excellent. This is clearly a reflection of the top quality care givers that Panda employs.

As Marc moves on to another stage of his life, he is excited about the new things that he will learn and experience in ECS and in school but he will always remember his friends and care givers at Panda.

Dana feel free to share this letter with your staff and the management of Panda.

Again, thank-you all very much for caring for our son.

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how impressed I am with the assessment practices at Panda. I have worked as a teacher and now work as an assessment specialist, supporting other teachers, with the Calgary Board of Education. Assessment has been a part of my teaching specialty for years.

When my son Emerson left Panda to start kindergarten, his teachers gave me his file that included all of his anecdotal assessments (observations and reflections). How wonderful it was to read through them and notice that not only were my child’s teachers observing him frequently, they were reflecting on these observations and relating them to social, gross-motor, intellectual and other developmental milestones! As I read through them, I could see that teachers were consistent in their assessments (i.e., many of them were saying the same things about Emerson, and they were similar to what teachers had been telling me on an ongoing basis, and to what I was seeing at home) and teachers were also very growth-minded. As I read through all of the anecdotal assessments I could see clear examples that he was growing and developing. I spoke with Linda and she told me that she had trained the staff in that assessment practice. Kudos to her! I know that she has trained and coached staff well when I see many reports from many teachers that are consistent and meaningful.

What wonderful assessment practice! Thank you for hiring such great teachers and leaders to be with children.

Emerson has had exceptional learning experiences in particular with Sandy, Tanya, and Anar and Delia thrived with Sadia, Kaneez and Karen. All of your staff seem to be wonderful educators.

Just before Emerson was leaving Panda, Anar asked Emerson to bring in a few specific things for show and tell. She told me that she uses show and tell time to observe what’s interesting to the children and see what kind of questions they are asking, what they like to read about etc. She uses show and tell time to come to know her learners and plan her lessons. I find this not only beautiful but pedagogically sound. How wonderful that she knows that she needs to find out her learners’ interests before she can plan for instruction. How wonderful that she cares to do her job so well. I am so glad that Emerson had so many years of quality, loving instruction, and I’m delighted that my Delia has two more years of it ahead of her.

I know you already know your staff are wonderful, but I had to tell you–as someone who has an education and assessment background–I see it too.

Thanks again for all your hard work and for caring so much for children. I am so proud my kids go to Panda!