Jittery kindergarteners dart to and fro across the grace center in anticipation of the day to come as their parents exchange pleasantries over a warm beverage. Plumes of steam rise into the air, twisting and dancing across the cafe ceiling.

During the early morning hours of the first day back to school, the cafe opened its doors for the annual boo-hoo breakfast. Inviting kindergarten scholars along with their parents, both new and old, to a morning of community building and beverage drinking All according to the plans of Kerry Romanello, culinary director, and Lauren Pinook, PTF leader, who masterminded the event.

“A lot of our kindergarten parents are brand new to one school. The purpose of the boo-hoo breakfast is to get them to know each other…to get used to the idea of having a community with each other, that scholars and parents all know each other, not just in kindergarten but in the community as a whole,” said Ms. Romaniello.

Many of the incoming kindergarteners and parents are new to One School of the Arts and Sciences and have not yet been exposed to the “culture of hospitality” that the school has to offer. The goal of Boo-Hoo Breakfast is to extend a sense of community through a potentially troubling rite of passage for many parents.

“I think connecting with people going through the same walk of life is very important. You can connect with each other; you know the feeling everyone is going through, and you can relate to that. Faith is one of the key things in life; you need to surround yourself with people who you can relate to,” said Ms. Pinook.

Parents, however, were not the only ones impacted by the early morning breakfast; Kindergarten scholars, much like their parents, took the time to socialize and form new friendships during this monumental chapter of their lives.

“I just want them to be able […] to connect, [to know] that we are a family, that this is a small community, that we know you, we know your family, and we want you to feel loved and safe,” concluded Ms. Pinook.