Many people’s first social recollections come from preschool. Learning their ABCs, to count, tie their shoes, making their first friends of the same age. For about 1,000 current and former Kirkland residents, those memories will forever live in the basement of Lake Washington High School in the classroom of Vicki Bundy – even after the building is torn down later this year.

The Little Roos preschool program is linked with the high school’s “life skills” child psychology elective, which along with Bundy’s career will all come to a close, but not before the community is invited to say goodbye tomorrow.

“My best memories are from when former preschoolers come back and tell us how much of an impact we had on their lives,” said Bundy, who retires this year after 25 years with the preschool program. “And, when former students bring their kids to us. To know that we made a difference is great. It is amazing how many kids become teachers and have other careers that are related to kids.”

The “Farewell to Old Lake Washington” event will take place from 2-5 p.m. Saturday at the high school, in conjunction with the farewell event for the Little Roos program. The farewell to Bundy will be treated like an open house, with old preschool graduation movies being played as well.

“We want to invite all current and former ‘Little Roos’ and their families to come and say goodbye to Ms. Vicki,” said Lynne Luckey, a child psychology teacher, who teaches the high school students associated with the preschool and life skills elective. “It is sad because it is a real loss for the community.

But this is a way to say ‘thank you’ to Ms. Vicki.”

Bundy’s 25-year career at the high school has made an impact.

“Everyone is sad about it,” said Bundy. “I figured out that I have had over 1,000 preschoolers and about 2,000 high school students … I am heartbroken to have it come to an end, but I look forward to seeing former students and their families.”

The life skills program is one of the most popular electives at the high school.

“It is the only program that prepares them for the only career they are guaranteed to have,” said Luckey.

Bundy has been told that the two programs became a victim of the lack of space in the new building.

“They really haven’t given us a concrete reason,” said Bundy, who was planning to retire fairly soon, but the end of preschool program hastened the decision. “It is financial too.”

Lake Washington School District Director of Career and Technical Education Dan Phelan said that keeping the Little Roos program ultimately would have cost the school district $1 million.

“It has been a long, hard difficult decision,” said Phelan. “But with the redesign of the new building it would have cost us $1 million to continue the Little Roos part of the child psychology program.”

Phelan said the school district worked hard to make sure “no Little Roos were left in the lurch.”

“We announced this change two years ago,” said Phelan. “We have not allowed any new students in the Little Roos program and we only took four-year-olds this year.”

In the end, Phelan said the Little Roos did not fit the core mission of the overall program, as it does not lead students into a specific career path or path in higher education.

But Bundy said the joining of the preschool program and the life skills program was a benefit for all students.

“I think the school district doesn’t really understand what we do,” said Bundy. “But the financial pendulum swings, sometimes toward more life skills and sometimes away. But it is sad they can’t find a balance.”

Bundy said she took the job at the high school after teaching at a Little Folks preschool in Redmond. But the program was much different in 1986 as more of a parent education class for toddlers.

“I grew it into a preschool program,” said Bundy. “I had no concept of what was ahead of me … The community has been so supportive. Every year we have a waiting list.”

The “Little Roos” farewell will be held in the basement classrooms at the north side of the school.