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Students begin new school year in Poland
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Kindergartners at Dobbins Elementary spent part of the day touring their new academic home. Classes of Elaine Fabrizi and Stephanie Mateja crowded outside the main office waiting to see what the principal's office looked like.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Poland's Adriana Sikora (left), Lauren Penman, Christi Bilas and Jayne Catlos enjoyed their first day back to school Tuesday. All four help school faculty by serving as office aids.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .McKinley Elementary's sixth-grade teacher Melanie Kutlick (left) took roll call of her class following their recess period. Students were anxious to tell her their nicknames.
By SHAIYLA HAKEEM
Yellow school busses consumed the streets of Poland early Tuesday morning picking up anxious students for their their first day of school.
They were welcomed by smiling bus drivers, principals and faculty members as they entered their academic facilities. Some students are used to the school schedule, while others are attending school for the first time.
Kindergartners at Dobbins Elementary had a full first day. Upon arriving to their classrooms, they were given the task of finding their name tag and writing their names on the board. They then participated in a school tour led by their teachers, singing songs and had story time with their principal, Cheryl Borovitcky.
Despite having 222 excited and eager students in one building, Borovitcky said the first day was a “smooth transition” from the summer break.
Kindergartner Jenna Spagnola was impressed with her first day of school. She thought the bus ride would be the highlight of her day, but said classroom activities were more enjoyable.
“My first day was so cool,” Spagnola said. “It was so very awesome and so fun. It was amazing.”
Kindergartners weren’t the only Poland students who enjoyed their first day. Students at McKinley Elementary have been attending school longer than the kindergartners, but their enthusiasm for learning is still there.
“The kids were just so excited today,” said Principal Ed Kempers.
Kempers said the number of students is almost identical to last year’s count. Transportation, such as bussing and individual rides, have proven to be problems in the past, but Kempers said everything ran well that morning.
The first day at McKinley was described as being very busy, but also very productive.
“So far, so good,” Kempers said. “We are off to a great start.”
Poland Seminary High School welcomed 184 freshman to its student body Tuesday.