BY KARISSA MILLER

Enrollment is up for Iredell-Statesville Schools system for the 2024-2025 year.

On the first day of school Monday, I-SS welcomed 20,102 students, an increase of 190 from the first day of the 2023-2024 school year.

School officials expect enrollment to grow during the next few days as more students return to school.

Superintendent Jeff James said it was a good opening day for the system.

“It seemed to go well for everyone. There weren’t any bus or traffic accidents to my knowledge and everyone seemed happy to be back,” he said.

At Cloverleaf Elementary, an International Baccalaureate World School, the staff welcomed almost 100 new students this school year, boosting the school’s enrollment to 580.

“It might be Day 1, but it really feels like Day 5. We are in a good routine. We did a lot of pre-work, such as having parents to do online student registration for bus routes ahead of time,” Principal Andy Mehall said.

Over the summer, Cloverleaf staff added QR codes to the school’s flag hallway and global landmark mural in the atrium to tie into the IB curriculum.

When someone clicks on the QR code, Mehall said, it provides information about that country that was compiled by a Cloverleaf student.

Some of the Cloverleaf fifth-graders said the first day of the new year felt strangely familiar — almost like they were in a time loop.

That’s because the students in teacher Brittany Murphy’s classroom moved up a grade, but have kept the same teacher and most of the same classmates for the past four years.

“It’s awesome to know your kids as soon as they walk in the door,” Murphy said. “I know where they need to be (in their studies). I know their parents, which makes it easier. My kids know my expectations and I’m able to build those really good relationships.”

Mehall explained that Cloverleaf “loops” some teachers. It’s a practice in which a teacher stays with the same group of students for more than one grade. The teachers has to learn the curriculum and material for the next grade level.

“Ms. Murphy knew she was moving up a grade and was able to excel them quicker. She works her magic is what I call it,” Mehall said.

The nice thing, he continued, is that the class can pick up where they ended in May. Their teacher knows exactly what her students learned last year and they can move forward quickly.

Mehall explained that data shows that the practice can also improve outcomes, such as boosting standardized test scores.

Student Braylen Nelson said it’s good to come back and not have to “talk to a lot of new people because you know everyone.”

Students were able to get straight to work.

“We’ve done a lot today,” said Anhgie Giron, 10. “We worked in partners on Math. We did two papers of science on solid, liquid and gas. We met new students in our class and then we went to PE.”

Giron described her teacher as kind, nice and funny.

Second-grade teacher Heather Motley is a new teacher at the school. She spent the day getting to know her students and explaining class rules and expectations.

“I did my student teaching here and I’m glad that it worked out for me to be at this school,” she explained. “I have to admit I had more first-day jitters than my students.”

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