Goodbye Summer, Hello School

Herds of children returned to Oconee County School hallways and classrooms on Wednesday, ready to start the first day of a new school year after a three-month summer break from bells, teachers and homework.

Parking lots at and schools were full of eager moms and dads, who came armed with cameras to document the event.

Mac Ricks, 5, awoke at 5 a.m., well rested and prepared for the challenge ahead, his father, Mike Ricks said.

“Before I came downstairs, he had already eaten breakfast, got dressed and had on all his stuff,” Ricks said. “He actually came up and told me I'm going to go ahead without you - he was so excited about going.”

This year so far, a total of 6,363 students from kindergarten to high school have enrolled in Oconee County Schools – up slightly from 6,273 students this time last year, school officials said. The figure is likely to change as more students enroll or notify administrators they have changed schools.

School officials reported few incidents on the first day, Superintendent John Jackson said.

“It went very well,” Jackson said. “We went around all 10 schools and there was nothing out of the ordinary. We had the normal first-day things you have with transportation, making sure all the students were picked up on the correct route, but those will be perfected as we get further into the school year.”

At Oconee County Primary School, Principal Julie Patrick and her staff welcomed students with high fives and hugs as students lined up one-by-one before heading off with their teachers to begin the day.

The first day of school is a critical day for a student – especially the little ones, Patrick said. In Kindergarten, children will spend the next few days learning new routines, like how to stand in a line and raise their hand in class – skills that will help them grow more comfortable in their new surroundings, she said.

“It's the day that sets the tone for the whole year,” Patrick said. “It's just the beginning, the start of something new.”

After dropping children off at school, some parents ventured into the cafeteria for a “Boo-Hoo Breakfast,” a special break period held for parents so they can get to know one another and if the need arises, wipe their tears away.

“The first day is a little nervous," Patrick said. "Everybody's a little anxious, so they come in here, decompress a little bit, regroup and talk to other moms or dads. It helps reduce the stress level a little bit.”

School officials this year will offer two new ways both parents and students can keep in touch with school district news and report issues of concern to administrators, Superintendent John Jackson said.

Parents can, called “Teleparent,” by logging into PowerSchool, another school district program, and receive notices and alerts sent directly to their cell phone through voice mail and text messaging services.

Students will also have access to a confidential reporting system, called “Let's Talk About It,” so they may notify school staff about any area of concern, such as bullying and other personal issues, with a text message, Jackson said.

“It serves two purposes, for kids to share a concern that they may be having in their life, or to report illegal activity to the school staff,” Jackson said.