Jordye Bacon fourth-grader Zakiya Caswell anxiously ran her finger down a yellow piece of paper mounted on the wall of the cafeteria during open house on Wednesday. A big smile ran across her face.
“Yes!” she said excitedly when she found her name.
Her mother, Twanna Caswell, explained her excitement.
“She’s in a class with her best friends again,” Caswell said. “They’ve all been in the same class since kindergarten.”
Caswell said starting a new school year is a lot easier on her daughter when friends are there with her for the first day. Zakiya, 8, said a nutritious breakfast and a good night’s sleep are also vital for a successful first day.
The mother and daughter were surrounded by dozens of equally anxious students, all hoping to get a nice teacher and a few friends in their classes.
Jordye Bacon Principal Dr. James Johnson said the school’s enrollment is a bit lower this year, but that doesn’t affect the overall excitement of open house and a new year.
“Everything’s going pretty smoothly,” he said as students and parents shuffled past, hurrying to meet new teachers and see new classrooms.
Inside the classrooms, all of which were decorated with bright paper and posters, the teachers greeted students and parents.
Teacher Gina Harrell was all smiles as she welcomed youngsters into her room, one that has a lot of history for her. She has taught kindergarten in the classroom for seven years, but she said her personal history with it goes even further.
“This was my third-grade classroom,” she said with a big smile. “Many years ago though. This is an old building.”
Harrell said she’s looking forward to having another great year in the room with a new batch of students.
Liberty County schools started on Thursday morning.