Parents, students happy to get back to classes
When Jeremiah Richardson watched his older brother head off to second grade at Southwood Elementary School last week, he felt left out.
The 5-year-old even packed his lunch box in hopes of getting to head off to school, too.
Tuesday, though, Jeremiah finally got his turn with his first day of kindergarten at the South Side school.
While Jeremiah couldn’t wait to talk to his teacher and new classmates about dinosaurs – Tyrannosaurus rex is his favorite, of course – his mother felt equal parts nervous and relieved for her middle child’s first day of school.
“I’m a little anxious to see if he’s going to listen. All he likes to talk about is
“Some students feel a lot of anxiousness if this is their first experience with school – if they were not in Pre-k or were home last year because of the pandemic. But as soon as they meet their friends, their teachers, they get acclimated no problem.”
Miracle Reynolds Southwood principal
dinosaurs,” Frantasia Richardson said with a bit of a laugh.
But she, like many parents dropping their children off for the first day of kindergarten for Columbus City Schools, mostly welcomed the milestone, especially after the past 18 months of parenting during a pandemic.
“I’m happy he’ll get to meet different kids,” she said. “He only plays with his brother and sister at home.”
Parents at Southwood were thankful that their young students had the opportunity to start the first day of school in person, unlike those in their shoes last year.
In fall 2020, many kindergarteners around central Ohio began their school careers virtually as COVID-19 numbers surged. Columbus City Schools didn’t return to any in-person learning until the spring.
That caused a number of parents to delay starting kindergarten for their children as the district saw a 16% decrease in enrollment – nearly 600 children – for the class in 2020.
Nationally, education experts have been looking at how those numbers might rebound this school year with some suggesting it might be the largest kindergarten class ever.
Numbers in Columbus certainly have increased from 2020. As of Aug. 28, the last date for which data is available on the district’s website, about 370 more kindergartners were enrolled this year compared to last year at that time.
Roughly, 3,400 kindergartners started school in the district Tuesday. Southwood principal Miracle Reynolds said she has 26 kindergartners enrolled between two classrooms so far for the 2021-22 school year.
“We usually do have a little more, but due to COVID and Blended (the district’s virtual option), we’re still down a bit,” Reynolds said.
No matter the numbers, she was thrilled to see some of the school’s youngest students finally in attendance – nerves and all.
“Some students feel a lot of anxiousness if this is there first experience with school – if they were not in Pre-k or were home last year because of the pandemic,” Reynolds said. “But as soon as they meet their friends, their teachers, they get acclimated no problem.”
Proud parents Devin and Kassi Birkhimer watched their son Waylon do just that in the cafeteria.
At first, watching from the outside doors, they saw their 5-year-old look around confused and not sure what to do, only to find his way to the breakfast line and a spot to sit next to some classmates.
“This is terrifying and exciting at the same time,” his dad said. “You never know how much you’ve overprepared or
underprepared them. You’re going in blind.”
Fighting back tears, Kassi Birkhimer said she knows her son is ready, smart and can handle all the COVID-19 protocols in place to keep him safe, such as wearing a mask, social distancing and frequent hand sanitizing.
Still, she said it’s hard to prepare as a parent for the moment a firstborn heads off to his first day of school.
The couple each made heart symbols with their hands directed toward Waylon before waving their final goodbyes for the morning.
Devin Birkhimer couldn’t help but offer one last-minute piece of advice, yelling from the door: “Go find your new best friend!” award@dispatch.com @Allisonaward