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Teachers and faculty greeted students as they entered Washingtonville schools on Tuesday morning, September 6, 2022. The first day of school might have been cloudy and rainy, but it did not stop the smiling faces from shining brightly.
With any new school year comes new beginnings and Kristin Shaw greeted students as the new principal at Round Hill Elementary School. Ms. Shaw has 10 years of teaching experience in New York City and has been the assistant principal at Washingtonville High School since 2013.
She expressed her goals for the new school year, wanting to make communication with parents and faculty a priority. She wants to make sure all members of the community and staff are informed in a timely manner about what is going on in the schools.
Additionally, she will be prioritizing building up the sense of community.
“I want to deepen the sense of community within the building,” said Ms. Shaw. “I want kids to want to come to school every day and learn. We need to celebrate our children’s successes – big and small.”
Students at Round Hill Elementary school gathered for breakfast before heading to their first class.
“I had fun at the pool this summer,” said Round Hill third-grader Chasity Bell. “But I can’t wait to learn fun, new things.”
At the high school, students were filled with anticipation and excitement for the upcoming year.
“It feels great to be back at school,” said freshman Christian Benitz. “I just want to have fun this year.”
Students gathered in the hallways before homeroom, eager to see their friends.
“I am excited to get back to football,” said sophomore Paul Teye. “We are looking forward to winning our first game against Goshen this weekend.”
Teachers were also happy to be back.
“I am so excited to have children back in the classroom,” said Round Hill Elementary School teacher Kristina Hernandez. “Being virtual was such a challenge for everyone, but it is good to have things back to normal.”
At Taft Elementary School, Principal Christine Williams visited classrooms to greet the students. She even clapped along with them in music class. She also visited children during their recess time and joined them in playing dominos and reading a book.
At Little Britain Elementary School, Principal Christopher Barrie also made sure to say hello and welcome back students.
“Today may end the summer, but it also brings the Little Britain community back together,” said Mr. Barrie. “We are a family that supports one another, and I feel whole again knowing my kids are back. The teachers and staff were not going to let a little rain get in the way of our joy.”
