By MADDY VITALE
Back to school always means new clothes, new schedules, new teachers, new students and new beginnings.
Coming out of the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with some restrictions eased, while hesitation about the future continues to loom, at least for now, families seem to be excited about a return to as close to a normal year of learning as possible.
At least that is what it looked like Wednesday and that is what several students and parents, grandparents, teachers and guardians noted on day two of the opening of schools in Ocean City.
Patty Santangelo, of Ocean City, took her granddaughter, Layla Boguszewski, 6, of Ocean City, to school on day two of the new school year.
Layla remarked that she had a really fun time on Tuesday, her first day as a first grader.
“The first day was good,” she said, and then she ran around with other students giggling and having fun for the few minutes before all of the students were to enter the school.
Students, parents, grandparents and guardians all seemed to be very pleased that school was reopening to a more normal feel than during the height of the pandemic in 2020.
“Layla was so happy to be in another school,” Santangelo said, adding that her granddaughter went to another school district for kindergarten. “She couldn’t wait to start school. The isolation was not good for the kids. She would say I was OK to play with, but she wanted to play with other kids.”
Interim Schools Superintendent Dr. Tom Baruffi outlined a detailed reopening plan last month that gave families an idea about what the school day would be like, and would be much different than the previous year.
On Wednesday, he greeted the students and chatted with families as they walked into school.
“We had a great first day. It was obvious that the students were excited to be back. With the mandates in place, no one expects this to be easy, but if everyone works together we’re going to have a great year as well,” Dr. Baruffi said in a statement.
He continued, “We will make adjustments along the way, as needed. I already noticed a difference between the first and second day in regard to following protocol. It’s a process. We are all just so thrilled to be back in school.”
Primary School Principal Cathy Smith said that everything was running very smoothly and that the first day of school was quite busy.
Students in the primary and intermediate schools and high school returned to five days of in-person instruction beginning with a full day on Tuesday, while still social distancing, wearing face coverings and following all health and safety protocols.
The main difference between how the schools operated last year during the pandemic to how they will for the upcoming year is that there is in-class instruction all week without a virtual option.
However, if a student needs to be in remote instruction for a time, due to health reasons, then virtual learning will be provided.
Lynn Sullivan, of Ocean City, walked her granddaughter, Bella Sullivan, of Ocean City, to the entrance of her school.
Like Layla Boguszewski, Bella is 6 years old and just began the first grade.
“It’s exciting,” Bella said.
“When Bella got home from her first day of school she exclaimed, ‘Guess what? No masks outside.’ I don’t think the students knew what their teachers looked like last year,” Sullivan said.
Taleah Dalton, 9, of Ocean City, was thrilled to head back into school for her second day in the third grade. Her guardian, Matt Finley, of Ocean City, smiled and told her to have a good day.
For more information on Ocean City schools, visit www.oceancityschools.org.
