The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
‘THE KIDS ARE BACK’
Students’ return lifts spirits
When Lorain City Schools flung open the doors Aug. 23, principals and students shared emotions of the moment.
“The kids are back,” said Michelle Spotts-Hayes, principal of Garfield Elementary School, 200 W. 31st St. “That puts a little pep in my step and lifts my spirits high.”
Lorain City Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Graham said in the past two days, he visited every building – 10 elementary schools, three middle schools and two high schools – to launch the new school year.
“It went incredibly smooth,” Graham said. “That just shows we have strong building level leadership.
“People right now are focused on kids, which they should be. They’re excited.”
A parent picked up
“People right now are focused on kids, which they should be. They’re excited.”
— Dr. Jeff Graham, Lorain City School superintendent
applications for Boys and Girls Clubs of Lorain County and shared them with the Garfield office.
And Spotts-Hayes introduced new assistant principal Donna Keenan, who worked at Lorain High School last year.
“The children are excited,” Spotts-Hayes said, “so excited they forgot our usual routine. We have signs out front. They’re supposed to wait. They came busting in. ‘Same routine.’ Just glad they’re excited.
“Over the summer, one girl had a function at Lakeview Park and she said, ‘I don’t want to go.’ I wanted to be there to tell her, ‘Yes you do want to go. It’s going to be all right.’”
Another of the 238 students at Garfield expressed reticence.
“One little girl in kindergarten, her little feet stopped,” Spotts-Hayes said. “She couldn’t go. She stopped right there in the hallway. At the ice cream social yesterday, she was hiding behind her mom. She was shy then. I was playing peek-a-boo with her.”
At Palm Elementary, 2319 E. 34th St. in Lorain, Principal Debbie Pustulka said the first day back to school went well as she began her 32nd year in education.
“Phenomenal,” Pustulka said. “The students were exceptionally excited to come back. The parents were happy as well.”
In addition to an open house the day before, Palm staff invited parents to walk children to classrooms.
“They could walk with their children and send them off on a phenomenal first day,” Pustulka said. “I also met with all the kindergarten parents separately, and we toured the Mercy Health Clinic.
“That was important. They were very excited about the opportunity it provides.”
The clinic in the school helps families and teachers lessen the number of days missed for illnesses by addressing an illness right away, she said, adding vaccinations also are available.
In addition to using ice cream from the open house as a treat for children on Aug. 25, this week teachers are explaining positive behavior intervention supports and rewards they can get in classrooms.
The students will receive a punch card, and 20 punches for being caught doing what is right, or behaving respectfully will result in a prize, Pustulka said.
On Aug. 28, the school family will meet for a big assembly on the program.
The Parent Teacher Organization at Palm is very active because of the efforts of Julie Garcia, a Title I reading teacher, other teachers and parents, Pustulka said.
“Our focus is on building relationships with students and parents to increase that achievement,” she said. “We keep moving forward to do our best to accelerate.
“When we receive that direction from (Lorain Schools Chief Executive Officer David Hardy Jr.) and what he wants us to do, we will fall in line and do it. But it’s always kids first. That’s the critical thing.”
One of the district themes is “Welcome home,” and many of the staff express it personally.
“Lorain is my home,” Spotts-Hayes said. “And I always felt I wanted to give back.
“I’ve worked 29 years in the school district. I spent 12 years here as a student. I grew up in this neighborhood, and on East 21st Street, and across the street from the former Charleston Administration Building, which is a field now.
“I think about these children and I think about their families. When they’re leaving I say, ‘Someone is waiting at home for you. I don’t know who it is — might be an auntie, might be a grandmother — but someone is waiting for you.’ ”