School News

Wantagh students head back to school

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In perhaps ironic fashion, the new school year began in Wantagh on what was one of the hottest days of the summer. But it was summer vacation no more as about 3,500 students stepped into five buildings on Sept. 2.

On a day when temperatures climbed into the high 80s, students found themselves grabbing their backpacks instead of their swim trunks. Despite the desire for that one extra day of summer, there were a lot of smiles on the faces of children, teens and adults, ready to begin the 2014-15 school year.

At Wantagh High School, certain rights of passage were already on the minds of many of the 1,081 students there. Seniors, sitting on the new couches in their lounge, talked about graduation and driving.

Gerard Macklin said he was looking forward to his road test later this month, so he could drive to and from school, and head out on the town.

Wantagh Elementary was quiet at 8:30 a.m., but 20 minutes later, the front walkways were filled with kids and parents. In front of the school sign, many parents lined up their children for back-to-school photos in their new, clean outfits.

Melissa Cascino, whose daughter, Olivia, and son, Charlie, started school that day, said they were excited to get new sneakers and backpacks. Olivia, who is in fourth-grade, was glad to see her friends again.

PTA Co-president Laura Reich sent her daughter, Sadie, off to the second grade. “She told me she’s not nervous,” Reich said. “She’s ready to go.”

Reich, who also has two children in high school and one in middle school, said getting Sadie off to school was the easiest, “Probably because I have a little more time.”

Just before 9 a.m., the front door opened and children and parents were invited in, filling the hallways of the 65-year-old building.

Board of Education members and administrators visited the five schools. It was a homecoming for Superintendent Maureen Goldberg as she stopped at Forest Lake, where she was once principal.

She visited a third-grade class there, remarking how big the students have gotten since they were in kindergarten during her last year there.

“It’s just the best day,” Goldberg said, observing all the smiles. “The kids are happy. The parents are happy. It’s tremendous excitement.”

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