Summer ends, school begins in Seaford

Young Seaford Manor School students, from left, Dylan Lukas, John Sampogna, Michael Calvacca and Kayla Straker arrived for their first day of school on Sept. 3 under the watchful eye of teacher Mariana Beach.

Andrew Hackmack/Herald

Meghan Nocera wished her daughters Ryleigh, left, a second-grader, and Kailly, a fifth-grader, a good first day at Seaford Harbor School.

Courtesy Felicia Febrizio/Seaford Schools

Doug Foote saw his two sons, John, left, a kindergartner, and Michael, a second-grader, off to school at the Harbor School.

Courtesy Felicia Febrizio/Seaford Schools

Fifth-graders Emily Bowles, left, and Abby Bussani, along with Principal Debra Emmerich, led the school in the first Pledge of Allegiance of the new year.

Andrew Hackmack/Herald

Manor kindergarten teacher Dawn Plotnick met her students.

Andrew Hackmack/Herald

Finley and Jackson Kirrane started kindergarten together at the Seaford Manor School on Sept. 2.

Andrew Hackmack/Herald

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Twins Jackson and Finley Kirrane were the first students to arrive at the Seaford Manor School on Sept. 3, eager to begin their first day of kindergarten.

“They’re going to be in the same class, so I know they’ll take care of each other,” said their mother, Jennifer, who was admittedly a little nervous. “I think they’ll have an easy transition. I think it’s harder on the parents than it is on the kids.”

After two years of pre-school, Jackson and Finley said they were ready for kindergarten and wanted to make new friends.

They were among approximately 2,280 students to start school in Seaford’s four buildings. Some new initiatives this year include additional high school courses, a full middle-school sports program and full wireless capability in all schools.

Jen Betz sent her daughter, Rylie, off to kindergarten at Manor. But she wasn’t too nervous, knowing Rylie’s older brother, Justin, a third-grader, would be there too look after her. “That’s all she’s excited about,” Betz said, “going to school with her brother.”

Donna Catapano was outside of Manor to watch her daughter, Cayleigh, a fourth-grader, arrive on the big yellow school bus. Catapano said it is a first-day tradition to follow the bus to school and be there to take pictures.

The beginning of the school year was tough on Catapano, who also has two sons, one at Seaford Middle School and another at Kellenberg High School. “I hate it,” she said. “I’d rather have them home with me.”

The new school year was bittersweet for many, like fifth-grader Aidan Lukas, who said he is glad to be with his friends again but will miss the freedom of the summer. He said he is excited for his final year of elementary school, and is looking forward to having his classmates sign his yearbook.

Sonjayarie Walters was glad to be back. “I’m happy because I get to see my friends and I get to meet my new teacher,” the fifth-grader said. Grace Sepinsky and Ava Lincker added it is nice to be among the oldest kids in the school.

Michael Foote, a second-grader at Seaford Harbor School, had a companion for the first time as his brother, John, started kindergarten. “I wanted to go; he didn’t,” Michael said.