It's with great sadness that this past Friday, ECE lost a staff member and parent, Ines Nicasio Guzman. This was not an unexpected passing. Ines had battled cancer for several years and finally succumbed to the disease. Ines is the mother of 4 former and current ECE students. Additionally, Ines worked in our Preschool program as an assistant teacher in Ms. Stephanie's class. She was able to continue with us until September when her condition began to deteriorate. She was an incredible member of the ECE community and she will be missed.
As a mother, Ines was very visible in our school. It was rare not to see her at drop off and pickup every day. She was one of my favorite parents to call for Pat on the Back certificates. Every call would be a excited celebration filled with lots of shouts of excitement and gratitude. She was so easy to form a relationship with, despite a language barrier, because of how open and willing to connect she was. She was a shining example of what a positive family/school relationship looks like.
As a staff member, Ines was... amazing. She connected with all students and her Spanish speaking skills helped form connections for our students that are learning the English language. She was so helpful in day to day tasks and I never ever saw her without a smile on her face. She was so adept at getting down to students level, helping them understand and make connections through daily play. She was responsible, flexible, adaptable, and relentlessly pleasant. Her talents will be irreplaceable.
ECE loves and will miss you Ines! May you rest in peace!
