We love hearing from our alumni! Since opening in 1981, Step One School has seen more than 2,000 young children pass through our campus. Over the years we have been fortunate enough to have many of them come back to visit, and seen what remarkable young people they have become.
Since the school is more than 30 years “young” we have been lucky enough to start having children of alumni go to school here. Our alum children are given priority status on our waitlist and we encourage you to let us know when applying for admission.
Our 2 Year Program head teacher, Alexis Walters, attended in the early 1980’s, and we recently had a graduate from the same era return to us to serve on the Board of Trustees prior to his daughter starting at Step One in 2013.
Here are some notes that we have received recently from our alum –
Barney, “Jeremy has finished middle school....” Jeremy has finished middle school and is headed for Jesuit College Prep in Dallas in the fall. He is taller than I am (not that I’m tall) and a good-hearted, responsible young man.
In his last week of school in 8th grade, his art teacher collared me in the hall for about five minutes to tell me how extraordinary he is. Not only was she surprised to have an 8th grade boy be such a focused art student (he chose it as an elective), but she talked about his general behavior. She said he helped other kids in the class, especially younger kids. She commented about how he worked well with others and shared and treated others with respect.
As I listened to this person whom I hardly know describe and praise my 14-year-old son in this way, the first thought that went through my mind was “that’s his Step One School background showing through”.
It has happened in other settings, too. Jeremy is an avid basketball player and a good baseball player. I have been at his games in recent years where another player got hurt and Jeremy rushed to see that they were okay. He learned that behavior in the playground with Zeena & Steve & Alyssa & Gege and all the teachers who watched him run around there.
The shy little Rachel who was patiently drawn out by all of the gentle teachers at Step One turned 11 last week. She is still reserved in some settings, but she also takes her place as first cello in the school orchestra unafraid. She has a pretty good volleyball serve, too. She has a generous heart and is friendly with just about every boy and girl in her grade despite some “mean girl syndrome” that has emerged in the class as they are about to enter middle school. That quality of inclusion is a Step One thing, too.
Yours truly has started doing bullying seminars for 5th - 8th graders. That’s the Step One influence on me. I’ve seen first-hand how to prevent bullying.
I hope you’ll share this our Step One family.
Negar, “When I think of Step One I think of love, friendship, community, growth, diversity, awareness, compassion and most of all family.” When I think of Step One I think of love, friendship, community, growth, diversity, awareness, compassion and most of all family. It is a place I have been lucky enough to be a part of for almost 10 years now.
I have two older children who graduated several years ago, and one child who is lucky enough to follow in his sisters’ footsteps and join the Step One community this year.
Returning this year has been a 'coming home' for me and my family. For me, Step One is a magical place that wraps its arms around you, keeps you safe and happy, in its magical bubble while you and your children evolve, grow, experience and learn together.
I am truly grateful to all of the teachers and faculty for teaching not only my children so much, but teaching me as well. I am, and always will be, a forever-friend.
Ed D. and Nicole W., “So the other day I knocked into a Step One parent that I recognized but could not remember his name. Before I could say anything he said "Hey, didn't your kids go to Step One?". We chatted a few minutes about how Step One was an important and key component in our girls’ development....”So the other day I knocked into a Step One parent that I recognized but could not remember his name. Before I could say anything he said "hey didn't your kids go to Step One?". We chatted a few minutes about how Step One was an important and key component in our girls’ development.
In my opinion, Step One is all about providing an incredibly rich emotional and social developmental environment for young children. What separates Step One from most pre-schools is the quality of the teachers. They are an incredibly diverse bunch that truly love the kids and make Step One their second home. This love that they give to their students every day would not be possible without having a stable, safe and positive environment that the school provides to them.
Over the years, Step One has slowly and methodically built this incredibly stable environment that allows the teachers to really focus all of their energy on the kids. I personally believe that the years that my daughters spent at Step One played a huge role in their personal development.
Since the school is more than 30 years “young” we have been lucky enough to start having children of alumni go to school here. Our alum children are given priority status on our waitlist and we encourage you to let us know when applying for admission.
Our 2 Year Program head teacher, Alexis Walters, attended in the early 1980’s, and we recently had a graduate from the same era return to us to serve on the Board of Trustees prior to his daughter starting at Step One in 2013.
Here are some notes that we have received recently from our alum –
Barney, “Jeremy has finished middle school....” Jeremy has finished middle school and is headed for Jesuit College Prep in Dallas in the fall. He is taller than I am (not that I’m tall) and a good-hearted, responsible young man.
In his last week of school in 8th grade, his art teacher collared me in the hall for about five minutes to tell me how extraordinary he is. Not only was she surprised to have an 8th grade boy be such a focused art student (he chose it as an elective), but she talked about his general behavior. She said he helped other kids in the class, especially younger kids. She commented about how he worked well with others and shared and treated others with respect.
As I listened to this person whom I hardly know describe and praise my 14-year-old son in this way, the first thought that went through my mind was “that’s his Step One School background showing through”.
It has happened in other settings, too. Jeremy is an avid basketball player and a good baseball player. I have been at his games in recent years where another player got hurt and Jeremy rushed to see that they were okay. He learned that behavior in the playground with Zeena & Steve & Alyssa & Gege and all the teachers who watched him run around there.
The shy little Rachel who was patiently drawn out by all of the gentle teachers at Step One turned 11 last week. She is still reserved in some settings, but she also takes her place as first cello in the school orchestra unafraid. She has a pretty good volleyball serve, too. She has a generous heart and is friendly with just about every boy and girl in her grade despite some “mean girl syndrome” that has emerged in the class as they are about to enter middle school. That quality of inclusion is a Step One thing, too.
Yours truly has started doing bullying seminars for 5th - 8th graders. That’s the Step One influence on me. I’ve seen first-hand how to prevent bullying.
I hope you’ll share this our Step One family.
Negar, “When I think of Step One I think of love, friendship, community, growth, diversity, awareness, compassion and most of all family.” When I think of Step One I think of love, friendship, community, growth, diversity, awareness, compassion and most of all family. It is a place I have been lucky enough to be a part of for almost 10 years now.
I have two older children who graduated several years ago, and one child who is lucky enough to follow in his sisters’ footsteps and join the Step One community this year.
Returning this year has been a 'coming home' for me and my family. For me, Step One is a magical place that wraps its arms around you, keeps you safe and happy, in its magical bubble while you and your children evolve, grow, experience and learn together.
I am truly grateful to all of the teachers and faculty for teaching not only my children so much, but teaching me as well. I am, and always will be, a forever-friend.
Ed D. and Nicole W., “So the other day I knocked into a Step One parent that I recognized but could not remember his name. Before I could say anything he said "Hey, didn't your kids go to Step One?". We chatted a few minutes about how Step One was an important and key component in our girls’ development....”So the other day I knocked into a Step One parent that I recognized but could not remember his name. Before I could say anything he said "hey didn't your kids go to Step One?". We chatted a few minutes about how Step One was an important and key component in our girls’ development.
In my opinion, Step One is all about providing an incredibly rich emotional and social developmental environment for young children. What separates Step One from most pre-schools is the quality of the teachers. They are an incredibly diverse bunch that truly love the kids and make Step One their second home. This love that they give to their students every day would not be possible without having a stable, safe and positive environment that the school provides to them.
Over the years, Step One has slowly and methodically built this incredibly stable environment that allows the teachers to really focus all of their energy on the kids. I personally believe that the years that my daughters spent at Step One played a huge role in their personal development.
