The aroma of chili wafts down the hall of L.P. Waters Early Childhood Learning Center on a chilly winter night. Families are hurrying in with crock pots, trays of sandwiches, veggies and brownies.

It's potluck night, when families learn together, laugh together and break bread together. Tonight, they are also working on rhymes and alliteration.

Moms, dads, brothers and sisters are sorting through cards and playing word games.

"What does this card say?" Crystal Romero asks her son Gideon.

"Fish," he answered, pausing as he matches the words and pictures. "Rhymes with dish."

"Awesome!" Crystal cheers.

The Romeros are one of the families gathered in Stacey Essix's Pre-K classroom. They have four children, and Mrs. Essix has taught three of them and is hoping their 1-year-old, Ava, will be in her class in a few years.

 "Our children have very different personalities, and she’s very attentive and understands how to relate to every one of them," Romero said. "she's a wonderful teacher, and they love her." 

"The parents are the first teachers for every child," he says. "We like getting to know our families and sharing learning games with them that they can play at home. Our doors are open, and we love it when the whole family is here."