Area Schools Host Student Orientations

Thursday afternoon most parking lots at area schools were packed with cars, although school wasn't back in session. Instead, teachers were meeting with administrators in preparation for the first day of school on Monday, only hours after they got a taste of school starting again.

At 9 a.m. Thursday, hundreds of sixth- and seventh-graders wandered into the halls of William Wirt Middle School for student orientation day.

Students got a chance to find their classrooms, meet their teachers and follow their class schedule before the school year begins.

Wirt Middle School Principal Prentice Christian said the morning went extremely well.

"While the children went to orientation, we held a parents' meeting," Christian said. "I was very pleased with how the day went."

Other area schools also held orientations for new students, including Parkdale High School and Riverdale Elementary School.

New Parkdale High Principal Cheryl Logan wasn't available to comment on freshman orientation and spent majority of the afternoon meeting with teachers.

Riverdale Park Elementary School Principal Carol Cantu said Thursday morning pre-K and kindergarten parents had an opportunity to get all their questions answered before Monday.

"Parents had very few concerns. All of their questions were answered as a part of orientation," Cantu said. "They mostly asked about safety, lunch and what to do on the first day generally."

She said parents were also able to meet the school's bilingual parent outreach liaison, which is funded with the help of Title 1.

Another comfort for parents, Cantu said, is that Riverdale Elementary's teachers have all done the first day of school before.

"There aren't any new teachers this year," she said. "We have a very low turnover rate."

Her biggest concern, however, is registration.

"The first day there will still be a lot of parents registering their kids for school," she said.