Students across Poplar Bluff shouldered their backpacks Monday for the first day of school. According to Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill, this year will be a return to the classroom environment most parents and kids expect.
“I think relative to the last couple of school years, we will realize a much more traditional school experience, and we are already seeing evidence of that on day one,” he said. “Parents and guardians can look forward to full participation in classroom events, classroom parties, all of those things that had been wanting the last couple of years.
“The community’s been patient, and we’re in a good spot right now. We are obviously still watching and paying very close attention to our infectious disease numbers, COVID included. We’ll take necessary steps, but at this point, we have our fingers crossed and we have a good plan for the upcoming school year,” he continued.
This resolution, plus one of the smoothest opening days Scott Dill has seen, made for an auspicious start to the 2022-2023 year.
At the kindergarten center, both parents and kids felt the joy — and the nerves — in the air. One mother, Nikki Weaver, said she was “super excited” for her daughter Mia’s first day. Mia seemed happy to be there and said she looked forward to coloring.
Meanwhile, Maklynn Weerstra needed some reassurance.
“I feel excited for her to make friends but I know she’s nervous, so I’m trying not to be nervous for her,” said her mother Bethany Weerstra, after offering some encouragement at the door.
Maklynn said her favorite thing in her backpack was, quite simply, “Food.”
Jonah McIntosh also felt uncertain but put on a smile anyway. His grandmother Sandy and dad Aaron assured him he would have fun and make new friends.
“I’m excited for him,” Aaron McIntosh said.
While guiding students to their teachers, assistant Jennifer Lee said everyone was “excited to start the new year, excited to see the children again.”
This included staff from the early childhood center next door. Since ECC opens Wednesday, Monday was spent helping the kindergarten center. Many students were children enrolled in ECC the year before, and they are reassured to see familiar faces.
ECC staffer Dacey Greer was happy to see them too.
“My favorite part (of the first day) is coming over here and getting to see all my babies I had last year,” Greer said.
Across town at O’Neal Elementary this year, Principal Dr. Amy Dill counted around 40 first-grade students enrolled. This number is average for the last several years.
Despite the hectic pace of the first day, “Everything’s going really well,” she said.
In some ways, advancing to elementary school is more intimidating than going to kindergarten for the first time, because the situation is bigger and most students are older than the new enrollees, she said.
Amy Dill explained the older children help the younger ones adjust and the first days of the year focus on building relationships.
Children, especially first graders, get tours around the building, learn what to expect about school and get their first taste of the curriculum.
“Usually it’s pretty fun ... because we do a lot of relationship-building kinds of things,” she said.