Preparation starts early for teachers
By: Jessica Beym
The first day of school is less than a week away and Cranbury School students aren’t the only ones who are anxious to get back in the swing of things.
This week and for a number of days throughout the entire summer teachers were back in their classrooms preparing for Wednesday, the start of a new school year.
Dozens of empty cardboard boxes littered the halls on Tuesday as teachers unpacked crisp, new textbooks and colorful decorations. While some classrooms sat dark and empty, with stacks of boxes waiting to be opened up, other classrooms like fifth-grade teacher Jane Papszycki’s were all set up and ready to go.
With a new set of shelves and books for a reading corner, brand new books set out on all the desks and her lesson plans in front of her, Ms. Papszycki seemed like she couldn’t wait for school to start.
"It’s always exciting to come back," Ms. Papszycki said as she reviewed a schedule with fourth-grade teacher, Donna Tarrantino. "The kids get to meet their new teachers, see the friends they haven’t seen all summer, wear their new clothes."
But to get ready for the school year, the teachers’ work starts weeks in advance. Many teachers said they spent their summer rewriting the curriculum, creating new and exciting lesson plans and attending workshops. Before school starts they must prepare their classroom, decorate the bulletin boards, meet with other teachers and organize their schedules.
"There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes," Ms. Tarrantino said. "We’re working all summer. It’s an ongoing thing."
Down the hall, Marissa Levine, the new fifth-grade teacher, said she’s also excited to get the school year off to a great start. Ms. Levine, who lives in Springfield, was an assistant fourth-grade teacher in Cranbury School last year and was also a substitute there for two years.
Knowing some of the teachers and the students will help to ease the transition into her new position, she said.
"I’m very excited to work the kids," Ms. Levine said. "And the teachers have been great. They’re so welcoming and really helping me make sure I have everything I need."
During the week, the custodial staff was on hand to help the teachers move boxes and furniture. The halls, classrooms, main office and even the outside grounds of the school where landscapers mowed the grass were bustling with activity.
Outside of the art classroom, Tamara Woronczuk, the school’s art teacher, decorated her display case with vibrant fabrics and nick-knacks knickknacks that represent the color wheel.
"I think it needs some more purple," Ms. Woronczuk said as she rearranged a few items.
Ms. Woronczuk said she spent part of her summer enrolled in an art course at a college in Vermont. Learning new ideas and ways to involve the curriculum in the classroom is always one of her favorite parts about teaching, she said.
"The course was very inspiring," she said. "It’s fun to use what you learn and bring it back into the classroom."
Sharon Aber, a third-grade teacher, said she feels the same way. While stapling trim to a bulletin board outside of her classroom, Ms. Aber recalled some of the new tips and techniques she picked up while researching the Internet, traveling to Vancouver and spending 13 days in teacher workshops.
"Your mind goes all summer," Ms. Aber said, adding that even while on vacation, she was thinking about lesson plans. She bought a dinosaur as a souvenir, which she plans to incorporate into the science curriculum.
While it may seem difficult, staying abreast of the changes in education is mostly time-consuming, Ms. Aber said.
"But that’s what makes being a teacher fun," Ms. Aber said. "The learning, the researching that’s what it’s all about."

