U.D. schools first to open in county today
UPPER DARBY » Genevieve and Harrison Risko were having fun on the swings at Garrettford Elementary Thursday evening during a water ice social to ring in the new school year that starts today. The Risko siblings were enjoying themselves too much to worry about the summer work booklets they had to finish, especially with a weekend at the Jersey Shore on the horizon.
But when Genevieve and Harrison came back from their last getaway of the summer, they, and 12,000 other students in the Upper Darby School District, were the first ones in the county to wake up bright and early for another year of academics. Gone is another all-too-quick summer of trips to the beach, camps, playing video games all day, going to the pool, playing with friends and a whole bevy of summer activities kids look forward to every year.
While most school districts start after Labor Day, Upper Darby has for three years now started in late August, a move that would get kids in school earlier and get some of the rudimentary opening days stuff out of the way before the holiday. Traditionally, Ridley School District has been the first one to open the school doors to students in Delaware County every year, but not this year.
No matter the start date, the Riskos were having fun Thursday night before Genevieve starts fourth grade, and her brother, third.
When asked if he was ready for school to start, Harrison was a little unsure.
“I think so, but not,” he said, trying to maintain his momentum at swinging higher than the kid who was two swings over from him. Genevieve, next to him, looked content with a leisurely swing on a refreshingly mild summer evening.
Harrison is a go-getter and academically driven, according to his mom, Brigid. He had no problem listing off all of the classes he likes, including math, library, and every young man’s favorite, gym. He’s excited to meet his new teacher, he noted.
A little while later, first grader Emma Else was swinging next to her father, George, and she was just as excited to start school as she was to show her dad all of the things she could do on the playground.
“I want to be a smarty pants!” she proudly proclaimed as she swung. “I want to go to school every day!”
Summers are the best time of year for many students who exalt in the carefree long days away from school, but not for Emma, who was heard saying she wanted to go to school during the seasonal time off.
“I want to learn about math, quizzes and things that my sister learned,” Emma said about starting first grade, referring to her 13-year-old sister, Cassidy, who starts eighth grade this year at Drexel Hill Middle School.
SCHOOLS » PAGE 8