While the students of Santa Rosa County enjoy their last week of summer freedom before heading back to school on Monday, educators are already preparing during the SRC teacher’s first week back to school
The teachers of PeaRidgeElementary School are prepping their classrooms for Thursday’s orientation, in which they meet their students and parents prior to next week’s first day back to school.
Although Monday was the first day back for teachers, many educators within the county were busy throughout the summer break, organizing for the upcoming school year, said Principal Dana Fleming.
“It all starts when we have our administrative conference and they share things with us that will be new to our district,” Fleming said. “Two of the new things this year is we are really going to branch out the (Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics) initiative.
Fleming said the school is also implementing a new system for reporting student absences.
With the STEAM initiative, Fleming hopes to have one of the school’s 60 educators serve as a leader for the program while attending professional development and mentoring other teachers on the initiative.
With the assistance of her family, the school’s media specialist Michelle Barlow worked throughout the summer to create a castle-themed reading area in the school’s library.
“The library is supposed to be the heart of the school,” Barlow said. “It’s a place for the magic of reading.”
Once a week students will visit the reading area for story time, where Barlow is even known to dress up for the occasion.
“I even have a queen costume I will wear for story time,” she said. “These kids love it. I have always loved reading, I think reading is the most important skill you can teach in school because for children who can’t go anywhere, they can travel through books. You are opening all of these worlds to them.”
While Amanda Kimmons has previous experience in teaching kindergarten, she will be entering new territory this school year while serving as one of the school’s Exceptional Student Education educators. Kimmons said she has been preparing for the new role throughout the summer.
“I have been doing a lot of research about the ESE curriculum and the activities you can use,” Kimmons said.
Having several other ESE paraprofessionals in the classroom will allow Kimmons to work with these students in a more closely acquainted manner.
“They respond really well to one-on-one and giving them that individual attention,” she said. “I am excited to be able to do that.”
Mary Mertins, a kindergarten teacher, is considered one of the school’s more experienced educators after teaching at Pea Ridge for 26 years. She has worked as an educator for a total of 37 years.
Mertins and other veteran teachers at the school are often relied upon in a leadership role for educators just entering the teaching profession.
“I do a lot of mentoring,” she said. “They are also very graciously help me with the newer things… it’s a good team effort.”
Mertins is preparing towards having everything ready for Thursday’s orientation.
“That is the first impression,” Mertins said. “Kids are coming in that day, they are going to see the room for the first time; the parents are coming with them to see the room and meet the teacher for the first time. So everything to me is very important on that first impression.”
Kimmons said having a good orientation is crucial for her ESE students.
“I want them to be comfortable when they arrive and be excited about being in here that is really my biggest goal,” she said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: SRC Teachers get ready for upcoming school year