Excitement fills the air as Landis Elementary School welcomes back students
Aug. 10—Landis Elementary School was bustling Wednesday morning as teachers and staff members welcomed students back to school. As parents said goodbye to their kids and wished them a great day, students entered the school and made their way to their classrooms.
"We've really missed them over the summer. It's just such a happy day, it's such a happy day," Principal Patti Wolf said. "Everybody's excited to, you know, have their new shoes, their new backpacks and the staff's excited and it's just... a fabulous day."
Wednesday marked the first day of school for the Logansport Community School Corporation.
Before the day began, some students spoke about school and their favorite parts of it. Fourth-grader Kennedy Holmes said she is nervous about the first day, but she is excited that some of her friends are in her class.
"(My favorite part of school is) math," Holmes said. "(My favorite thing to learn is) multiplication sometimes and sometimes harder addition."
Fourth grader Piper Adams said she is excited for the first day of school as well, and she is excited to learn math and how to count numbers. Her favorite part of school is specials, but gym is her favorite because of the games that are set up, Adams said.
"(I) mostly stayed home (over summer break), but yesterday we went to a water park, France Water Park," Adams said.
Teachers also shared in the excitement of the first day of school. As this is her first year teaching, cross categorical special education teacher Tina Griffith said she is very excited about teaching and to see the kids. She said last year she substituted, and working with the kids was the most fulfilling thing she had done in her career. For her and the special education area, the first day of school is about getting a handle who all of their kids are, creating schedules and getting them settled, Griffith said.
"Probably my favorite aspect (of working in education and kids) is when you're working with a kiddo, trying to teach them a concept and a lightbulb goes on and they get it," Griffith said. "That's my favorite."
Third grade DLI teacher for the English section Jenny Sweet also said one of her favorite aspects of working with kids is seeing that lightbulb moment, along with watching them learn. For the first day of school, Sweet said they did getting to know you activities and went over routines and procedures, as well as a writing activity about the kids' summer vacations. Sweet, who has been teaching at Landis for 12 years, said her favorite aspect of the first day of school is the excitement of meeting new students and getting to know them.
"... just seeing their faces and especially seeing my students I had last year and seeing how much they've grown over the summer and just visiting with them," Sweet said.
Third grade DLI teacher for the Spanish section Jordan Zehner also said getting to know students is her favorite aspect of the first day. She said this is her fourth year at Landis, and alongside getting to know the kids, her favorite aspect of working in education is her coworkers.
"Today we're going to do some review of Spanish from second grade and we're going to do, like, a get to know you type thing where they fill out information about themselves, so that I can get to know them and also they can get to know each other," Zehner said. "Even though they've been together, they're kind of all mixed up in different classes."
Wolf said that new students and families will be joining the school because of a consolidation and new districting. In addition to new students, new features are coming to the school as well. One of these new features is a new playground being built, which Wolf said they are excited about.
"It won't be done until, you know, later on. It'll probably be mid-winter into spring, but they've started the ground, they've laid the ground work, they've got the pavement out there," Wolf said. "So that will be new, looking forward to that. Also, we have a new circular drive off the Berry Bowl for some of our parent pick-ups at the end of the day."
According to Wolf, her favorite aspect of working with kids and in education is making a difference and having that opportunity to make a difference with kids, as well as helping families. She said Landis Elementary has a phenomenal staff that go above and beyond, and she is constantly learning along with the kids.
"When I was a teacher, I look forward to this day and as an administrator I look forward to this day. It's just, the energy in the building, you know, with the kids and I mean, we do have some tears, that's just human nature," Wolf said. "But, it's a phenomenal day. We have, you know, our goal is to get the kids in safely, get them fed, and then get them home safely on the first day. So, going through, you know, all our roles and the expectations and so, it's just a good day."
