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A Few Clouds Valley Stream students head back to class
As summer faints into bygone memories, school opened with a bang as crowds of children and teenagers — more than 9,000 of them — rushed through the doors of Valley Stream schools for their first day on Sept. 8.
For many young students, dreams of storytime, playtime and even naptime filled their heads. And for other older students, the day’s reality consisted of keeping up with their pens, pencils and pocket folders. But not one could deny the spirit of excitement in the air.
Just ask Carlos Nogueira, who was sending his little girl, Sophia, to school for the first time to start kindergarten at Robert W. Carbonaro School. “I am very excited about this year,” he said.
And Sophia agreed with her father as she playfully expressed what she was looking forward to doing. “I like the playground,” she said. “And I want to learn.”
Jeannine Pierre watched from the all-purpose room at the Washington Avenue Kindergarten Center, where there was a spread of food for parents, as her daughter, Tzedakah, enjoyed meeting new friends on the playground. Pierre noted that her daughter was so excited to start school, she woke up early that morning. “She said, ‘Mommy, I would like to learn a lot,’” Pierre said.
Washington Avenue kindergarten teacher Sandra Aragona said that enrollment is up this year, with classes of 19 or 20 students topping last year’s average of 16. She even had two new kids register the first day of school.
But that’s not a bad thing, Aragona said, who is always looks forward to seeing children learn and grow throughout this year. She has high hopes for her new students. “They seem like a great bunch,” she said. “They’re ready to learn.”
Jennifer Ferreiro is a new sixth-grade teacher at Wheeler Avenue School. She comes to Valley Stream with five years experience, and said she started coming to the school in early July to set up her classroom. “It’s a new challenge, a new adventure,” she said. “Everyone seems very nice and welcoming.”
Ferreiro, who has previously taught fifth-grade, said she is most looking forward to teaching the sixth-grade social studies curriculum for the first time — ancient civilizations.
