COHES Principal Kenneth Schmidt welcomed the crowd with his bullhorn.
Teacher Gregg Zwickel came prepared for his new fourth grade class.
Some students, like this girl, didn't want to say good bye.
But most seemed excited to get back to school.
September 02, 2009
More than 3,400 students in the Cornwall school district woke up Wednesday morning with the realization that summer vacation had finally ended and it was time to return to school.
The buses started rolling out shortly after sunrise to pick up the middle school children, then the high school students and, finally, the youngest, the elementary school crowd.
On the first day of school, however, many parents had opted to bring their children directly to the school door, if the crowd at Cornwall-on-Hudson Elementary School was any indication of a pattern.
School there starts at 8:45 a.m. but by 8:20 a.m. nervous children and their parents began to appear on the front lawn. Many teachers had already entered the school to make sure that their classrooms were ready for their new students. Others came just before the bell rang, like fourth grade teacher Gregg Zwickel who carried bags of a popcorn and snacks for this students who, he said, may need a lift later in the day.
Outside the excitement grew as children reunited with their friends and classmates, then lined up along the sidewalk in rows by their grades. Principal Kenneth Schmidt used his bullhorn to welcome the parents and students to another year at the elementary school.
A few tears were shed and most of the kindergarteners looked nervous as they waved goodbye to their parents and made their way inside the towering brick edifice where thousands of children have been educated since it first opened as the Cornwall-on-Hudson High School in 1922.
Comments:
To all parents of students in CCSD: This is a really good school district - great administrators, social workers who are really connected, coaches who get it, wonderful kids, good and caring teachers. AND the point of my little ditty : really good school bus drivers too. The district (that is you) pay for school buses, drivers and staff at West Point Tours. They are all highly trained and reliable and safe and its a good thing to have your child ride the bus to school The school bus is part of the school day: growth of socialization skills, learning to follow directions, and a great time with friends all contribute to a well rounded school day. Bus drivers are trained in how to best professionally manage and discipline difficult students and how to deal appropriately with potentially difficult situations. It's ok to have the kids on the bus. I drove CCSD Trip #24 for three years to the High School, Middle School and Lee Road Elementary. There were some really great kids on my bus and I wish them all them best.
