By DEBBIE ROSEN
As kids fill closets with the latest fall fashions and load back packs with bundles of binders, administrators and staff in the Oceanside School District have been getting ready for the new school year. Last week, teachers put the finishing touches on classroom lesson plans and spoke about ways to settle students into the new school year.
"I want the kids to know that we're people who just came from vacation, too, and our minds need to warm up just like athletes," said Oceanside Middle School Social Studies Teacher Dan Keegan. "The team teaching structure makes the thousand-student population seem familiar."
Speaking of familiar, middle school guidance counselor Brian McMahon worked hard to make new students in Oceanside familiar with the school, by giving tours of the building. While Collette Jeffreys, formerly of Shirley, was not familiar with the school before, she sure is now. This young adult came from a middle school that housed grades six through eight and offered words of wisdom to incoming seventh graders who may feel a bit anxious about leaving the elementary school experience. "Even though it may seem like there's a lot more people and it's a bigger school, its just fine and you do get used to it," she said.
Joseph Jean is brand new to the middle school. As a guidance counselor, he sees his job as a liaison for students going from elementary to middle school. "I'm here to help the kids get accustomed to bigger surroundings and larger classrooms. You know all kids want to fit in and make new friends. We're here to help them get over the nervousness."
While the middle school staff had their say on settling students into a new year, over at the high school social studies teachers Robert Nuxoll and John Krizel chiseled out the final sculpture of their plans for advanced placement and honors students in their tenth grade global studies classes. "Getting into the curriculum work makes us focus on getting back into the swing of things," said Mr. Krizel. "We started with a book assigned over the summer for reading, which reviews some of last year's work and it bridges the gap for students," added Mr. Nuxoll.
Over at elementary School #9E, teacher Jennifer Whyte finished unpacking books for her second grade class. After 16 years of teaching, this will be the first time she'll educate second graders and her enthusiasm has kicked into high gear. "I think this is a great time in a child's life," she said. "They're so excited about learning and there is so much new for them to learn. You can help them take off in every direction. I know the first week and throughout the entire year we are going to have the best time learning together," she added.
Bonnie Zebalese, a first grade teacher at elementary school #8 knows just how to handle first-week jitters. A teacher for 18 years, Ms. Zebalese eases her students into the school year with an introduction to one of her favorite friends... Donald Duck. Her students will have a chance to take the fine feathered friend home for an entire weekend. The fun experience is coupled with a lesson in writing, as students will make entries into a journal describing how they spent time with the famous Disney character.
Ms. Zebalese also shared her plans for the start of school. "When the children first come in, they sit on the floor and we talk about how we're a class family and how we learn through fun," she said. "Then we go over how the day is run and together we write classroom rules. The most important thing is for the children to feel they are in a comfortable warm learning environment. And, raising their self esteem is paramount."
