A comfortable place to learn

First day at Woodland focuses on adjusting

By: Stephanie Brown
   MONROE — "New" seemed to be the vocabulary word of the day at Woodland School on Wednesday — new faces, new beginnings, new buses and new shoes, which some students may say are a lot like the first day of school. They both can put a spring in one’s step, but can also sometimes cause a little discomfort.
   School nurse Peggy Eckstein said one of the most common reasons kids come into her office the first day is for blisters caused by new shoes.
   Woodland School staff say their main priority for the first day of school is to make kids feel as comfortable as possible.
   Teachers say this is especially true for fourth-grade students who are just entering Woodland School. The transition may be difficult, often overwhelming. For some, it’s the first time they will even use textbooks.
   "The first day you have to get them into a routine, which will gradually dispel their fears," said Susan Lowery, who teaches a fourth-grade class with Kristen Hummel.
   Ms. Lowery and Ms. Hummel have been teachers for 13 years, and have taught together for four.
   Ms. Hummel said she was "a wreck" on the first day of school when she was a new teacher, so she could relate to how her students may feel.
   "You never know what you’re going to be faced with — it’s the fear of the unknown," she said.
   One of their students, Tyler Ward, said he felt mixed emotions about coming to Woodland.
   "I’m scared and excited," he said quietly so as not to disturb the rest of the class. "I’m kind of excited for the first day of school, but I know it’s going to be a lot harder (than Mill Lake)."
   Luckily, as a triplet, Tyler has two brothers to help him.
   Tyler’s brother, Ryan, is in Natalie Michael’s class across the hall.
   "We help each other with our homework," said Ryan.
   The students in Ms. Michael’s class were each given a plastic sandwich bag with various items meant to make them feel welcomed.
   A letter from Ms. Michael explained the significance of each item.
   A cotton ball is meant to remind them that the room "is full of kind words and warm feelings."
   A Lifesavers candy was given to remind them that they can always turn to Ms. Michael for help.
   "The first day kicks everything off for the rest of the year, so you want to start off positive," Ms. Michael said. "It’s important to create an environment that will establish life#-#longlifelong learning."
   Down the hall, which echoed with the sound of chairs being pushed in and the clacking of chalk on a chalkboard, students in Maura Towne and Lisa Labenski’s fifth-grade class read quietly to themselves.
   The back wall of the classroom is lined with scuff-free backpacks.
   "They won’t be like that for long," said Ms. Labenski, who has taught at Woodland for four years and has been a teacher for 22 years.
   Even after two decades, Ms. Labenski said she still gets excited for the first day of school.
   "The first day is a lot of preparation, a lot of new kids with a lot of new names to write on workbooks," Ms. Labenski said, poking fun at herself as she wrote her students names on their health books in permanent marker. "Tomorrow we get down to the dirty work."
   Ms. Labenski has taught many grades, but she said she prefers teaching fifth-graders.
   While they not the youngest in the school, and not the oldest either, Ms. Labenski thinks they are just right for her.
   "Fifth-graders don’t have that newness like fourth-graders, who are like deer in headlights when they come in," she said. "And they don’t have that junior high edge like sixth-graders. They are ready to take part in their own learning, but still have an innocence about them."
   It’s the first year that Ms. Labenski — a special needs teacher — and Ms. Towne are teaching the same class. Both said they feel very positive about working together.
   "A perfect school year would be where each child advances socially and academically and feels confident about learning," said Ms. Towne.
   Confidence is the key to success, said sixth-grade teacher Matt Gorham.
   "When they sit down with their parents at dinner tonight, I want them to say this is the year that I’m really going to do well," he said.
   Mr. Gorham has been teaching for 20 years, and he said that when it comes down to it, the first day of school is about making students feel comfortable.
   "If they feel comfortable then they’ll go home and want to come back," he continued.
   As the oldest in the school, sixth-graders know they have the big responsibility to set an example for the younger students.
   "We have to show the fourth graders how to behave, like how to sit down on the bus," said 11-year-old Alex Hill.
   Sixth-grader Danny Marsh is used to being a role model for his younger sister, Julianna.
   "I tell her if I do something good, follow it," he said. "If I don’t do something good, learn from my mistake."
   By the end of the day, the staff seemed relieved that the school year had started off smoothly, despite issues concerning scheduling and overcrowding.
   Principal Victor Soriano said Woodland had to coordinate its special classes with Brookside because both schools are sharing its art, music, and world language teachers.
   Also, Woodland had to turn its art room and computer lab into classrooms to make space for all its students.
   "Overcrowding is a major issue everybody’s fighting," he said.
   As the students boarded their buses, things began to wind down for the day.
   "I think the day went very well," said Vice Principal Dori Alvich, while sitting at her desk. "We have a wonderful school. The teachers are what really make it work."