In 1976, Maryann Crins and a friend had the idea to start a preschool together at St. David’s on the Hill Episcopal Church.

Now, 39 years at the school have gone by in the blink of an eye for Crins. As she begins her retirement, the school prepares to begin the 2015-16 school year carrying on her legacy and continuing the focus on caring and compassionate early childhood education she began so many decades ago.

Looking back now, as a young mother of two – and later, of three – starting a preschool at St. David’s didn’t seem the least bit intimidating or overwhelming to Crins.

“I’d come from New Jersey to Rhode Island when I was first married and I had a degree in early childhood education. I’d been a kindergarten teacher for four years,” she said. “When I had my children, Kerrie and Barry, I stayed home with them, but when we thought about opening the preschool, it didn’t seem overwhelming at all. I had the background, and I had the experience.”

Once the permission had been granted from the pastor at the time, the school was opened, and the education of young children through play at St. David’s began.

“We used to call it a play school, but later as things got tougher coming down from [the Rhode Island Department of Education, or RIDE], we changed to calling it a preschool,” Crins said.

The educational atmosphere Crins created at St. David’s Preschool was one in which the students were constantly learning through play, with a curriculum which included learning their letters and numbers, incorporated music and field trips, and followed seasonal themes and holidays, in addition to keeping up with mandates, standards and inspections each year.

“I even found the ‘real’ Santa,” Crins said. “He comes to our Christmas celebration each year and sings with the children. We celebrate all of our holidays with our families and include them in many family events.”

Crins has recognized many parents’ faces at preschool registration time as the faces of the students she once taught when they were younger. They are now bringing their own children to St. David’s Preschool, continuing the tradition. Crins’ own three children, Kerrie, Barry and Jeffrey, each went through St. David’s for preschool, and some of her grandchildren have attended as well.

For Crins – the only original member of the founding team – the years have gone by in a blink, and she’s been thankful for the friendships created along the way, as other staff members have come on board and taken the St. David’s Preschool journey along with her.

“Lois Anderson was here with me for 31 years, and Lorraine Wilby was here for 23,” she said. “There have been many in between as well, and we’ve always had a wonderful team of teachers and assistants.”

As Crins looks ahead to retirement, imagining her days without St. David’s, although it’s hard, she does have some things she is looking forward to.

“I’d like to do a little more traveling and a little more relaxing,” she said.

At this year’s preschool graduation, Father Peter Lane delivered a reassuring message to the families gathered before him, as Crins took part in her last graduation ceremony.

“For the past 39 years, Maryann Crins has welcomed children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews into this program. She has created quite a legacy here at St. David’s, and we know that the greatest way to honor that legacy is to continue welcoming your children here to St. David’s,” Lane said. “We promise that we’ll continue to educate them with the utmost care and compassion. Although this day is filled with both sadness and joy, we pledge to continue Maryann’s vision, compassion, energy and care. We pledge to you, Maryann, that we will continue your legacy for years to come.”

Crins responded to Lane’s comments with a tearful message to the families of her students.

“Thank you to everyone for sharing your children with us,” she said. “Without you, we wouldn’t have a school.”

As Crins begins the next phase of her life’s journey, she reflects on the close of this chapter, and she is grateful for the fact that she loved the life she’s had at St. David’s Preschool for the past 39 years.

“I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s never seemed like work to me,” she said. “I’ve never, ever gotten out of bed in the morning and said I didn’t want to be here. I just love being with children, it’s my way of life.”