‘Tired’ Tia ticks off first-day milestone
CLASSROOMS that smell of bubblegum and hours of song and play.
This isn’t Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory, but the initial impressions of a little Gold Coast girl’s first day at “big school”.
“I played games,” said Tia McGrath, less than an hour after hearing the bell at Coomera Rivers State School.
“We were singing but I can’t remember the name of the songs and I made some friends. I made some stuff for mum. I feel like I am growing bigger. I like school, it smells like bubblegum. Now I am really, really tired.”
Tia’s mum Sheryn said the preppy was in her pyjamas by 4pm.
Tia was guided to school by big brother Ty, who said his return for Grade 3 was bittersweet. “I am a bit sad and a bit happy to go back to school,” he said. Despite missing his holiday, Ty, 8, said he still gave his first day a “10 out of 10”.
“My day was great,” he said. “We did some maths, I had a lunch break and ate food but we didn’t go outside because it was raining. I walked Tia to class and picked her up.”
Ty, who wants to be a policeman when he grows up, said his favourite thing about Coomera Rivers was the teachers.
“Because they are lovely,” he said.
Mrs McGrath said her family had moved into the Coomera Rivers catchment so her children could go to the school.
“It is such a great school. I had heard about it from friends who had raved about it,” she said.
“So when Ty was old enough we moved here so he could go.
“My husband Cary grew up on Foxwell Rd too, so there is a bit of family history in the area.
“It's nice they could both have their first day together.”
Eight new schools opened across Queensland yesterday as 856,500 children started the new school year. It is the state’s highest-ever overall enrolment count.
I LIKE SCHOOL, IT SMELLS LIKE BUBBLEGUM. NOW I AM REALLY, REALLY TIRED
TIA MCGRATH, 5, ON HER FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL