We believe wholeheartedly that it takes a village to raise a child, and we have been fortunate to have Augusta’s Gilbert Elementary School as our village.

As we mentally prepare for my daughter’s transition to middle school, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to say thank you to the school’s staff, faculty and administrators for helping us raise our child. Children spend countless hours each day, each week and each year at school, and its impact and influence is undeniable.

Our daughter has been nurtured, motivated, challenged and inspired by the Gilbert School community. She has been given ample support when needed, yet she’s also been encouraged to fly on her own. She has been witness to amazing role models and developed outstanding rapport with her classroom teachers.

She was given numerous opportunities to be integrated in the school community, from working with the custodians and kitchen staff to helping the younger students in the school. All of these opportunities helped her make lasting connections, made her more responsible and solidified her appreciation for what everyone does to make the school run smoothly.

To the school’s staff, I express my appreciation for everything they do for all children who are fortunate enough to attend Gilbert School, for saying yes when it might have been easier to say no, for smiling and taking the time to listen or chat when they had a million things to do, for making school fun and for making a difference in children’s lives and inspiring them to make a difference in the world. Most of all, we want to thank the school and its staff for being our village. We couldn’t have raised our daughter as well without them.

Marc and Kate Levesque

Augusta