First day of school excitement is evident throughout the schools in Aiken and Edgefield counties today.
Lauren Hiott greeted her fifth-grade students this morning with a warm “Good morning” and “How are you?” at Merriwether Elementary School.
The first-year teacher was excited about the start of the school year.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know each of my students and teaching them about science and reading/ELA,” she said.
Though this will be her first year of teaching, Hiott isn’t a stranger to Merriwether’s classrooms. She served as a substitute teacher at the school last year.
“I’m excited to be back at Merriwether and having my own classroom,” she said. “This is such a great school and I’m glad I get to be a part of it.”
Principal Wayne Marchant greeted pupils and parents by name, shaking hands and even offering comforting words to nervous parents and pupils.
Establishing a sense of community on the first morning of school is important, Marchant said.
“We want our parents to feel welcome at the school and we want our students to look forward to coming to school every day,” he said. “This is a very tight knit community and we all know each other. Our school is a reflection of that.”
By 8 a.m., parents had departed, the children settled into their classrooms and teachers began their first lessons of the school year.
Overall, Marchant called the morning a “success”.
“It was hectic, but very smooth. We got the students in, got them to their classrooms and now the hallways are clear and there’s no line in here(the office),” he said. “I give it an A plus. We’re off to a great start to the day and to the year.”
Over at Paul Knox Middle School, Assistant Principal Shunte Dugar greeted pupils as she directed the lunch lines in the school’s cafeteria.
“I love the first day of school because you get to see new faces and welcome back familiar faces,” she said.
Today is Mary Lown’s 31st first day of school as a teacher.
“I still feel the same way I did the first day of the first year I taught,” said the eighth grade teacher. “I’m still excited and the first day of school never gets old. You always look forward to it.”
Principal John Murphy said that the first day is going well and he hopes that it’ll be a day to remember, especially for the sixth-graders who are starting their middle school journey.
“I think they’ll like their new school, like their teachers and have fun getting to know their classmates,” he said.
North Augusta High School principal, Todd Bornscheuer, said that he can identify with the first day emotions his students are feeling.
“I can still remember what the first day of school was like when I was their age,” he said. “I remember how nervous I was as a ninth-grader on that first day and then how confident I was walking in on that first day as a senior.”
Math teacher and football coach Louis Mackie compared the first day of school to the start of a new season.
“You’re excited and ready to kick things off on a good note,” he said.
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