The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
BACK TO SCHOOL
North Broad Elementary students stride into the new academic year
ONEIDA, N.Y. >> Students in grades K-5 were welcomed back for the 2021 school year at North Broad Elementary in Oneida on Tuesday.
Around 200 students and 40 staff will be participating in a five-day inperson school week this year, a refreshing back-tonormal schedule after COVID-19 derailed any sense of normalcy last year. The beginning of the 2020 academic calendar was largely a hybrid schedule with students in-person two days a week and the rest of the learning done remotely. For many students, especially in this younger age group, remote learning was a challenge.
Later in the year, classes moved to four days in-person, the fifth day being off to allow teachers to liveteach remote learners via online tools and give staff time to deep clean, explained North Broad Elementary Principal Eric Coriale. At that time, students and their parents could choose which model of learning, in-person or remote, they were most comfortable with given the current state of COVID-19.
This year, with updated guidance and a vaccine widely available to those ages 12 and over, the staff and students will be committing to the Mondayfriday in-person schedule for the foreseeable future. Those with medical exceptions can still learn remotely.
Even through the face masks, students’ excitement was undeniable on their first day back. Many came running up the sidewalk sporting their backto-school shoes. Others fist-bumped the staff present to say hello. A few students even hugged their
“The first day of school is always special, but particularly special this year because we’re starting in full capacity, and it feels more normal,” he said. “I think we all were kind of longing for that normalcy.” — North Broad Elementary Principal Eric Coriale
favorites after not seeing them the whole summer. For some of the staff, holding back tears was difficult.
Kindergarteners gathered together dawning name tags before being taken to their classrooms. They chatted with Teacher Aid Amy Bishop about their outfits, their experience riding the bus, and the food they would eat at lunchtime.
“It’s amazing to have our family back together,” Coriale remarked. “It’s our staff, our parents, and our kids.”
He was right there with fellow staff the first morning, ready to get students pumped about their first day with his own positive attitude.
“The first day of school is always special, but particularly special this year because we’re starting in full capacity, and it feels more normal,” he said. “I think we all were kind of longing for that normalcy.”
“There’s definitely still limits,” he admitted as COVID remains a threat, “but we’re working with guidance and directives from the state and trying to utilize all of that to return to as normal as we can while ensuring that safety always remains our top priority.”
Coriale lauded the support shown by parents, staff, the community, and the kids as they roll into a new school year with its own sets of challenges and opportunities.
“They’re rock stars,” he said.
The flexibility provided by all in order to move forward has been greatly appreciated, he said.
“Even when it’s really hard, people are doing everything they possibly can for our kids. That’s always what we do at North Broad, but now more than ever we’re banding together as a family to figure this out to make sure our kids have the best possible experience that they can.”