September 2, 2015 at 4:49 p.m.
District officials: Smooth sailing on first day of school
District officials: Smooth sailing on first day of school
By all accounts, the always highly-anticipated day went smoothly.
At Pelican Elementary School, Principal Martha Knudtson said students, staff and parents adjusted very well to a new morning routine.
The bus pick-up/drop-off areas and parent and faculty areas have been reconfigured, she said. Tuesday morning was the first time parents and students experienced the new layout.
The changes should make traffic flow smoother, Knudtson added.
"The morning went great," she said. "It took a lot of planning."
Students are very excited to be back to school, Knudtson said. "The little ones, they're so happy to be back in school, to see their friends, and to wear their new school clothes."
"We have some new staff, so there is a lot of excitement and anticipation around that," she added.
According to Principal Paul Johnson at Central Intermediate School, the first day went off with nary a hitch.
"A lot of it for us is adjusting classroom lists for new students in the district and for students leaving the district," Johnson said.
Another challenge parents face is getting students to the bus on time.
"It takes a little bit of time and patience that first few days," Johnson said. "So far everyone's been quite patient."
Everyone is very excited for the new school year, Johnson added.
"We've had some great feedback from parents regarding the welcoming feeling amongst the staff for students. We are busy going through, helping students go through procedures and routines, as part of the PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports)," Johnson said.
Principal Richard Gretzinger said the vibe at James Williams Middle School was very positive.
"There's a lot of great energy in the building," he said. "It was going really well. I was very happy with all the staff being really active. The students were all happy to be reunited."
The only kinks in the day were some minor schedule changes for students, Gretzinger added.
Gretzinger thanked parents for their support of the new rules supporting student safety in keeping backpacks and cellphones in lockers during the course of the day.
"That helps with a lot of distractions and getting back to the basics of learning. We've spoken with parents about this, I just appreciate their support," he said.
Student drop-off time has changed until 7:25 a.m. because teachers are not available until that time, Gretzinger noted.
Next week, the middle school will unveil its Chromebook program, and will be teaching the students how to effectively use the devices.
"We're going to be teaching students the proper care for them and how to use them. We're excited, we should be ready for them," Gretzinger said.
"There are a lot of great things happening," he added. "We're just getting focused back on student learning, and so far I'm very happy with how it's going."
Superintendent Kelli Jacobi pronounced the day a success across the district.
"Everything went smoothly as we began the new school year," she said.
Katie Perttunen may be reached at kperttunen@ rivernewsonline.com.
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