Students throughout the Klamath County School District met their teachers and started a new school year on Tuesday, September 3rd.
In Sandy Bailey’s kindergarten class at Shasta Elementary School, 12 students – half of her regular class – spent some time creating carrots, birthday cakes, and other fun items out of playdough while learning class routines and rules. Kindergarten classes often are broken into sections, with half the class attending one day and the other half attending the next.
“When we can start with a smaller group of kids, we can spend more time getting to know them and getting them used to the routine,” said Bailey, who has taught kindergarten for most of her 21 years of teaching. Steve Siders, a P.E. teacher at Keno Elementary School, gave his students a chance to run and walk a trail around the school as part of his Walk-Jog Oregon program. As part of the program, students keep track of their miles in their quest to walk or jog around the entire state.
Before the day ended, Keno fifth-graders spent time interviewing their classmates, and fourth-graders in Michelle Rosser’s class were learning about synonyms. Not all students attended class today – in some of the high schools, ninth-graders attended freshmen orientations and some seventh-graders, new to junior high, also had the halls to themselves for special activities. Overall, the first day for students countywide was a time not only for lessons, but to learn new routines and faces.
“We’re off to a great year,” said Ruben Paschal, vice-principal of Shasta Elementary School. “Our kids are happy to be back, and it was great to see parents, our staff and all the students.”