Excitement as Schools Reopen

School starts today for students in Livingston's public schools, but the district's staff has been preparing for weeks for this day. 

During the final days of summer teachers and staff at Mount Pleasant Elementary were hard at work readying classrooms for students. On Friday, right before Labor Day weekend, the school was abuzz in anticipation of today.  In the main office, the seemingly endless sound of phone calls filled the room as administrators answered parents' last minute questions. 

Gael Henderson, one of the secretaries at the school, spoke on the phone with inquiring parents and answered questions —as if to provide comfort — and gave requested information about the upcoming school year. 

Some parents stopped by, too, hoping to give their children a quick glimpse of the school they would attend, some for the first time. A mother and her two children, both of whom are students at MPE, came by to see if her children's teachers were available for a quick meet and greet.  

Christina Whipple, a third-grade teacher at the school, said she typically meets about half of her students before the year begins.

"Meeting the students beforehand is always a treat,"  said Whipple. "Parents like to show where the classroom is to help take any of the anxiety away from them, so they have a familiar face [on the first day]."

During the final weeks of summer, Whipple was at the school, she said, "to get my classroom ready so when the kids come in it [feels like] home and is comfortable." 

Whipple said it's important that the students feel the classroom is "somewhere they want to spend the next 180 days," she said. 

"I want them to come into the classroom and realize this is their home and where we are going to do a lot of learning and have a lot of fun," she said while preparing workbooks for her students. 

Margaret Krupa, a kindergarten teacher, was busy on Friday making sure everything in her classroom was set-up for today.   Among the tasks she was working on was to prepare the outside bulletin board. 

"Welcome to a colorful kindergarten" is spelled out on the bulletin board outside the entrance of her classroom, which is surrounded by hearts, stars, people-shaped cut outs standing hand-in-hand and large circles with the names of her 22 students. 

"When the kids walk in, they see their names," said Krupa. "It's so colorful. I love it."

Krupa, the mother of a three and six year-old, said that the first day is not just tough for the kids.

"Kindergarten is different than every other grade because for some parents it's their first child they are sending off. So it's hard for them," she said.

"Sometimes you have children crying. You have parents coming in early. This is kindergarten, so they are nervous. The parents are as nervous as the children – maybe more nervous," Krupa said. 

Prepared for the anxiety and excitement of the first day, Krupa who has been teaching for 21 years, said that she is looking forward to another school year. 

Today she'll get her chance to show her students her enthusiasm — and her colorful bulletin board, among other things she's been working so hard to prepare for them.