As Cornwall schools hold orientation
Kindergarten didn’t seem scary on Tuesday morning.
At Willow Avenue School, families gathered in the small parking area for orientation. Moms outnumbered dads, but several kids showed up with both parents. It was an occasion. Real school was just a day away.
Some of the youngsters knew one another. They may have met in T-ball or soccer or preschool. The adults also mingled. Before long, they were holding paper bags their youngsters had received from their teachers. The contents of these bags were supposed to help the students prepare for their new experience.
A father and I took inventory. We found a meal calendar, a schedule for out-of-classroom activities (such as library visits) and a list entitled “What to know on Day 1.” There were fun things –a bag of goldfish with a poem on the outside, a name tag, the silhouette of a boot (for children who will be walking to school) and a package of “Ready Confetti.” The kids were supposed to sprinkle the confetti on their pillow so they could fall asleep on the night before their first day of school.
After receiving these handy items, the kindergarteners lined up along the wall and waited to go into their classroom with their teacher. She took a few youngsters at a time, and seemed to know many of them by name.
Following the classroom experience, kids became acquainted with the school bus that was parked behind the building. They mounted the steps, took a seat, stared out the window, and waved to their parents. There was nothing traumatic about it for either generation. The next day, however, the ritual might be repeated with one addition. The new students would be prodded to smile for their parents’ cameras.
The school bus was strategically located. As the young passengers got off, they didn’t have far to go to get to the playground. It was a good way to conclude orientation.
