Early Childhood Alumni Success!

Early Childhood Alumni Success!

As a new mom juggling life as a single parent, Jakisho found Next Door to be just what she needed.

“Next Door was very open and welcoming and always willing to help. That was a blessing for me being a single mother, here by myself, first-time mom, first time sending my child off somewhere,” Jakisho said.

In 2012, Jakisho enrolled her three-year-old-son, Alonzo, at Next Door. She said early on there were some rough patches. Alonzo’s behavior wasn’t always the best and he struggled a little following directions.

“As he got older and started maturing and started being with Next Door teachers, he just caught on,” Jakisho said.

The academic growth came, too. In Alonzo’s three years at Next Door, there were annual milestones to report.

“In K3, he was already saying ABC’s and doing his 123’s. In K4, he was recognizing words, and by K5, my son was reading!” Jakisho said.

“It just made me feel so great as a parent, like I really accomplished something. I really made the right decision by sending him to Next Door and I’m just grateful for that.”

As she watched her son flourish, Jakisho found her path to success as parent – something she attributes to the supportive teachers at Next Door.

“They are there to help guide you and say, ‘Hey, maybe you should try this or do that,’ and I appreciated the advice because I didn’t know,” Jakisho said.

Alonzo is now in third grade at the Golda Meir School in Milwaukee. His mother reports he’s performing above grade level in both math and reading.

Outside of school, Alonzo is starting to model and act. In March of 2017, he had a small role in an episode of “Chicago PD” on NBC.

The Next Door team is so proud of Alonzo – and his mother – for how well they are doing today. And it’s nice to know that Next Door remains close to their hearts.

“If I hadn’t made the decision to send Alonzo to Next Door and waited until K5 to put him in school, he would not be at the level he is at now,” Jakisho said.