Kindergartners On Their Way  To School For The First Time

By Tanjua Damon

There were not too many tears as Newtown kindergartners took their first bus ride to school this week for a trial run and an opportunity to meet their teachers and classmates.

Two sessions of kindergarten, morning and afternoon, are held at the four elementary schools here in Newtown. Daily the four and five-year-olds will spend a little over two hours at school learning the basics of the alphabet and numbers, among other things.

Over 400 kindergartners are expected in the Newtown School District this year. Hawley School is anticipating 90 youngsters. Middle Gate has 101 kindergartners. Head O’ Meadow estimates 96 students. Sandy Hook expects 117 new children.

The little ones, mostly with smiles on their faces, bounced off the yellow school bus excited to be at school. Some parents looked unhappy that their little ones were off on a new adventure, growing up so quickly.

Judy Sheridan dropped off her son, Justin, who is a kindergartner at Sandy Hook on Monday. Justin was full of energy waiting to go into his classroom, while mom was a bit anxious.

“I’m excited,” she said.

Of course Justin was not completely sure what he would be learning or what his favorite thing about school might be when first asked, but after he settled in, he decided coloring would probably top the list.

Head O’ Meadow students got right off the bus and were ready for the day to begin. 

“I’m just so happy that I’m here,” Emily Anderson said. “I was scared on the bus. But there isn’t anything to be scared about.”

Morning sessions of kindergarten at Hawley and Middle Gate Schools begin at 8:38 am and end at 10:51 am. The afternoon session starts at 10:51 am and finishes at 1:05 pm.

Head O’ Meadow and Sandy Hook morning sessions begin at 8:03 am and end at 10:16 pm. Afternoon sessions start at 10:16 am and finish at 12:30 pm.