Merriman Park’s Kindergarten Twins: Everett, Baggett, Lawson, Leavell and Berbary
Merriman Park teachers are having twice as much fun, with five sets of twins entering this year’s Kindergarten class. Parents of the twins say they’re delighted.
“Ben and Luke had a great first week at MPE,” says PTA President Dee Ann Baggett, whose twins are the youngest of four. “They have been waiting to go to the ‘big’ school for a few years. I know they are making new friends, but they are also learning the MPE rules of being a good Kindergartener: ‘Put a bubble in your mouth, walk like you’re stepping quietly on marshmallows, and put your hands behind your back to make a Sparky Panther tail.’ Those Kindergarten teachers are amazing.”
“Sophia and Isabella seem excited to start school again and play with friends,” says Geoff Berbary, whose daughters have been attending the German International School of Dallas for 3 years. “I think they are the only twins kept together in the same class, so we’ll see if that was the right decision. They told me that they have already made several friends. They recognized a few classmates from Sunday school, LHSA soccer, and MPE Mom’s events, which helps.”
The choice to keep twins together or separate them, admits Baggett, is a tough one for each individual family.
“Ben and Luke were separated last year, so they were not expecting to be together. They are very different little boys, so it’s been a good decision to keep them in different classrooms. I think the teachers have done a great job of splitting the twins up and thinking about what’s best from a logistics standpoint. For instance, my boys leave each day through the same door, so it’s easy for me to find them.”
“Sophia and Isabella’s teacher has tried a few approaches already,” agrees Berbary. “The first two days she kept them apart during class and lunch, but yesterday, she encouraged them to sit together.”
Kiersten Everett says her twin boys have rarely been apart until now.
“I think they are really enjoying the independence,” says Everett. “They’ve been asking each other about what special they had that day (art, music, gym) and what they did. They talk about what they had for lunch – it’s really cute the conversations that are happening.”
“They told me they played together at recess together on Friday,” continues Everett, “the first time they had it together. As the mom of twins it made me happy they were hanging out together, but with other friends, too. My boys are so different: Ellis is conceptual, imaginative, creative and Truman is factual, verbal and questions all things. I think it is great that they are separated so they can be themselves. In the past they relied on their twin to ‘complete’ the other.”
Chance & Patrick Lawson and Marley & Maggie Leavell round out the two sets of girls and three sets of twin boys.
And being connected to the “famous” twins isn’t just fun for the kids.
“I’ve been hearing other parents and teachers talk about this being the ‘twins class’ for over a year,” says Berary. “I’m excited to be a part of that. I joined the MPE Dad’s Club, so I’ll be helping out at lunch and in the hallways throughout the year. I’ve already met a lot of Sophia and Isabella’s classmates while volunteering for lunch this week. Now, when the girls tell me stories about their classmates, I’m happy that I actually know who they are talking about.”
