First day is a success in area schools as students get back in the swing of things

  • By Dave Mast
  • August 24, 2010
  • 272
                        
How does it usually go for students returning to school on the first day back from summer vacation? It can be tough. How long does it take for the teachers to get back in the swing of things? “About 180 days,” joked Karen Burkett, Tri-County Educational Service Center director, referring to how many days of school there are in the actual school calendar. While it may not take quite that long to get back in the old routine for school teachers, students or administrators, the first day of school can be somewhat harrowing for the likes of kindergartners, new junior high students and others trying to get accustomed to a new daily routine. Fortunately, around Holmes County, things went smoothly during the annual school kick-off. For many students, the biggest transition comes from elementary days to the first year in junior high, where moving into a much larger building can be a frustrating and intimidating experience. For West Holmes principal Jeff Woods, the day went quite well, and he was excited to kick off a new school year. He said they take things very slowly for the first week, where being forgiving to students who meander into class a tad after the bell is a must. “It takes time to get used to a new routine, or even an old one for some of us,” said Woods. “As first days go, this one was awesome. It helps knowing that we’ve got a great group of teachers here who are willing to go the extra mile to make sure the kids are fitting in and feeling comfortable. Most of our sixth-graders are coming in here with their eyes wide open and not quite sure what to expect. It’s usually kind of controlled chaos, and for the next few days, we will be lenient in making sure students get to where they need to be.” Coming from a tiny elementary school setting like Lakeville or Clark can be unsettling, considering the myriad of hallways and stairwells located in the West Holmes Middle School. Woods said they kept plenty of staff in the halls to direct newcomers to where they needed to be. He also said that knowing that he has a group of teachers who are willing to adjust on the fly makes entering a new year more enjoyable. “We’re constantly making changes to make life better for the students, and our staff here really can adjust to circumstances well,” said Woods. “They may not always like the minor changes we go through, but they know that if it is for the best for the kids, they will be willing to make the necessary change. Having a staff that cares makes the transition into a new year much easier.” It is an especially exciting time for Woods and his staff, because they found out Friday, August 20, that the school had improved to an Ohio School of Excellence, up a notch from an Effective School, because they achieved the value-added standards for the past two years. At Berlin Elementary, principal Darren Blochlinger said the first day went extremely well, and both the staff and students were excited about the possibilities that lay ahead for the coming year. “There’s a newness to it all on the first day,” said Blochlinger of school. “The kids get to see all of their friends again, there’s just a sense of wonder to it all. We did have a few kids wander down the wrong hall on their way to class, but we got them to where they were supposed to be.” Berlin had just completed its kindergarten classroom sign up and orientation the night before, so the youngsters delving into their first day of school had the teachers and their parents to thank in making the transition a smooth one. “That can be a little frightening for kindergartners to come to school for the first time,” said Blochlinger. “I was pleased to see a huge turnout for the orientation night, and it helps the kids to have their parents right beside them helping them along. It’s comforting to the kids to have a familiar face right there beside them. I think that by the end of the week, we will be back to business as usual around here.” At Hiland Middle School, principal Matt Johnson said that there was a sense of excitement permeating throughout the halls and classrooms, as students made connections with friends and tried to figure out where each bell was supposed to take them next. “Seventh grade is a huge jump up for kids, because it brings with it a whole new experience,” said Johnson of the new middle school students. “They are just trying to find their way around and fit in, while at the same time trying to make new friends. It will take them a while to get into the daily routine, but it won’t take them long.” Johnson said that one new aid helped move the learning process along for the school this year, and it wasn’t a teacher or even a person, but rather a new system the school has installed to inform families about upcoming events and changes in the calendar. Alert Now is a system that can notify parents about chances and events via e-mail, phone voice mail and texting, and Johnson said the system had already come in handy in notifying parents about the orientation evening the night before school. Because the system helped bring a large number of parents in to attend the orientation, it made the first day of school go all the more smoothly. “We had more parents here than normal, and I think the system helped in reminding them,” said Johnson. “I think having their students here with them helped calm some nerves of those students who are new to the school.” Johnson added that it is always a relief to get the first few days of the year out of the way and get back into a normal regimen. At Millersburg Elementary, principal Tim Wigton said that the day went smoothly, and, depending on the student, one would probably get varying answers as to how much the kids were happy to be back. “We had a few kids wandering the halls looking perplexed, but everything came off well as far as first days go,” said Wigton. “You know, how excited every kid is is going to be very different in terms of how they see school, but for many students, this becomes a nice, safe environment where they know they will get a good meal. For others, it is a time of learning and growing. Each one is different.” Whether at Killbuck or Chestnut Ridge, high school or kindergarten, students made it through Day One, and now have 179 more to look forward to. That includes nine months of reading, recess, friends and homework, but it all adds up to molding tomorrow’s leaders.


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