Published: August 25, 2008 04:54 pm            

Students meet teachers, view campuses

“This is ours,” Madalyn Rosser said to her twin sister, Mikayla, as the kindergartners walked through the shelves of books in their first visit to the Marti Elementary library.

Meet the Teacher events were held on all CISD elementary campuses Thursday afternoon, giving students — and their parents — a chance to become acquainted with their new teachers in preparation for Monday’s first day of the 2008-09 school year. School officials are anticipating a first-day enrollment of more than 6,800 students, districtwide.

“I’m going to school on Monday,” said Benjamin Chapman, after meeting his kindergarten teacher, Doris Kelly. “I’m going to have fun in her class.”

Representatives of Coldwell Banker-Bob King Realty, a participant in the CISD Adopt-A-School program for Marti Elementary, were also on hand to greet students and parents and to pass out rulers, one of the items included on the school supply list for students in grades K-5.

“It’s great to work with the Marti staff in welcoming students back to school,” King said. “They had a great turnout for Meet the Teacher and all the kids seemed really excited and ready for another year. We’re also looking forward to another year at Marti. This is a great campus.”

At Coleman Elementary, kindergartener Landry Roberts was also acquainting himself with his new school. The 5-year-old said he already knew his ABCs but was willing to learn them all over again with his classmates.

“I already know my numbers, too,” Roberts said. “I can count to 100 — even 109. You learn math in kindergarten. That’s what you’ll always learn first. And I’m going to learn new words, and they are going to teach me how to be good in class.”

Kindergarten students weren’t the only ones with expectations about the first day of school. Sixth graders at Smith Middle School were also thinking about being among the 291 new students at the sixth-eighth grade campus.

“My son is excited,” said the mother of one Smith Middle School sixth grader, who was attending the school’s parent orientation. “But he also afraid he’s not going to be able to get his locker open.

“I’m nervous,” said Madison Bauer. “It’s going to be scary and different.”

Fellow sixth grader Miah McDonald, who will play oboe as a first-year member of the Smith Middle School Band, was excited about starting a new chapter in her life as a student.

“I’m ready,” McDonald said. “I think it’s going to be fun, with new teachers, new school, new experiences.”

        

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