By Jolene Neave

Main Street parent

Are you trying to find a great preschool for your child to attend? Look no further: Main Street Early Education Program is the school for your child. This article is about my son James, who attended Main Street for two years, and his amazing journey.

James is a 26-week preemie, born June 2011 weighing only 1lb. 12oz. James has fought his whole life to get where he is today. James’ first eight months of life were spent in the hospital fighting to survive. It has been a very long road for him and for myself as his mother. James has overcome many obstacles. He has had more than six surgeries thus far. James has a stomach disease that makes it difficult for him to digest food; therefore he has a feeding tube to eat. Before James went to Main Street, he had received his therapies at home and through me helping him.

When James first started going to Main Street he was a 3-year-old little boy who could not walk and could not talk. James also had a full-time nurse that went to school with him and stood by his side all day long to care for him for the first year and a half. On his first day of school he went into the school with a walker, glasses, a little book bag for his food and the biggest smile on his face. James could not say more than one word at a time and had no idea how to be a student — or a 3-year-old.

With the physical therapy Main Street has provided, today James runs and plays with the other kids. He went through speech therapy, and now he talks like he has talked his whole life. James also did vision therapy, which has strengthened his eyes tremendously. The staff at Main Street are the most caring people I have ever met. Every teacher and staff member has done everything in their power to help James. The nursing staff is amazing. If you have a child with special needs, there is nothing more comforting in knowing that you can leave your child at school and know they are being well taken care of.

Today James is a 5-year-old who will be going into kindergarten this year and is loving life. A teacher at Main Street called James the “mayor” of the school; James knows everyone and everyone knows him. At the end of his first year, all the students were given awards and James had received the “happy-go-lucky” award. James is the happiest child I know. It doesn’t matter what kind of day James is having — he will welcome you with a big smile.

I cannot thank Main Street staff enough for everything they have done for my little miracle, James. I greatly appreciate everything the school has done for us. I have nothing but great things to say about this school. Thank you so much for giving my son the life that he deserves.