BY KARISSA MILLER

The hallways of N.B. Mills Elementary School were filled with excitement on Thursday morning as teachers and staff welcomed students back for the start of the school year.

“Parents are really excited students are back. We are excited to have the kids back,” said Principal Sally Schultz, noting that they had great arrival and drop-off this morning.

N.B. Mills operates on a nontraditional year-round calendar with intercessions or breaks throughout the school year. The goal is to reduce the “summer slide,” which occurs when students experience learning loss because their minds aren’t stimulated when they are out of school.

According to Schultz, students, parents and teachers like the year-round calendar. It is helping with teacher recruitment and has helped create a positive school culture, she said.

Additionally, the school’s disciplinary referrals are down by 60 percent and the school has seen improvements in third-grade test scores, according to preliminary data.

Inside third-grade teacher Melissa Gill’s classroom students got the new year started with a fun song that got everyone smiling and moving.

Students spread out and did a physical activity known as Tony Chestnut, which is similar to the head knees and toes song.

Gill demonstrated the method of bending down to touch your toes, then placing your hands on your knees, chest and head.

After students moved through the song twice, Gill increased the speed of the song. Students had to bend quickly to keep up with the pace.

“School is fun. Ms. Gill is the best teacher ever. I’m happy to be in her class,” said nine-year-old Kaleb Hendrix.

Ariana Garcia, 8, agreed.

“I was nervous and excited at the same time,” she explained. “It’s been really fun.”

She said art and PE are her favorite classes.

New teacher Art McCracken said her sixth-grade teacher Ms. Holmes made a difference in her life and inspired her to become a teacher.

She said that Holmes demonstrated patience and kindness, which is what she wants her students to experience in her classroom.

“I want to meet and exceed parents’ expectations. I want my students to learn and feel accomplished,” she said.

Photos