Neighbors: Back to School 2011

First-day-of-school jitters aren’t just for the little ones — they happen to moms, dads and the older kids, too.

We made our rounds to Ashton Elementary, which held a Boo Hoo/Yahoo Breakfast for kindergarten parents; Bay Haven School of Basics-Plus, where we asked first-graders what was going on in their world and Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences, where we sat in on a sixth-grade class.

fHere is what some of the parents and children had to say about how they handled the first days of school.

ASHTON ELEMENTARY
Kelly Sims 
Mom to Colton, second grade,
and Morgan, kindergarten

What was the hardest part of getting your kindergartner up this morning?
The hardest part about getting her ready was just to get her to move. To move quickly from task A to task B.

What is in your child’s lunch box?
Chicken roll-ups, fruit, yogurt and water.

Are they wearing anything new or special for the first day of school?
They each got a couple new outfits for school.

How did you feel this morning?
I was excited, because she was excited. A little sad because she is my baby.

What was the last thing you said to your kindergartner?
“Goodbye, I love you, I have to go help Grandma with the buses.”

Susan Horowitz
Mom to Sydney, second grade,
and Scotti, kindergarten

What was the hardest part of getting your kindergartner up this morning?
Brushing her hair, as usual.

What is in your child’s lunch box?
She’s actually doing the cafeteria today!

Are they wearing anything new or special for the first day of school?
Grandma picked out two new outfits. So they are wearing a nice fluffy skirt and a pretty pink shirt. Very girly.

How did you feel this morning?
I was really sad but happy, too, because my daughter is with her other sister.

What was the last thing you said to your kindergartner?
She is wearing a little tiny necklace of mine, so I said, “If you get nervous, touch your necklace and think of Mommy and you’ll be fine.”

Evelyne and Elliot Stupp
Parents of Eliana, fifth grade,
Gabrielle, second grade, and
Naomi, kindergarten

What was the hardest part of getting your kindergartner up this morning?
“It was to keep her awake. She has never been awake this early,” Evelyne Stupp said.

Are they wearing anything new or special for the first day of school?
“I let my three girls wear their most comfortable and favorite outfits so there would be no nervousness about the first day. They each got a shell that we found on the beach yesterday with a hole in it. So the last day of vacation is right there on their necks,” Evelyne Stupp said.

How did you feel this morning?
“Relief that finally three are in one school, excited for the kindergartner, and I am waiting for another mom to cry so I can finally cry. Or maybe when I am finally alone in my house with not one peep I will cry,” Evelyne Stupp said.

What is in your child’s lunch box?
“Cream cheese sandwich, Capri sun, carrots, nuts and a granola bar and an apple,” Elliot Stupp said.

“I feel actually very gratified that they are finally together. It is easier to pick them up after school,” Elliot Stupp said.

What was the last thing you said to your kindergartner?
“I said, ‘Do your best, listen to your teacher, put your thinking cap on and we love you,’” Elliot Stupp said.

“And I said, ‘Have fun,’” Evelyne Stupp said.

Heather Dowd
Mom to Graison, kindergarten

What was the hardest part of getting your kindergartner up this morning?
I guess getting him up this early. We’re not used to waking up early, so he is kind of in zombie mode right now. We are not morning people.

What is in your child’s lunch box?
Chips and salsa, organic yogurt, organic gummies, grapes and a juice box.

Are they wearing anything new or special for the first day of school?
He is wearing all new stuff. He got new shoes, new pants, new shirts. He actually grew over the summer, so he has all new clothes. He doesn’t really care though, because he’s a boy. He’s half asleep when I get him dressed.

How did you feel this morning?

Joy and sadness because my son has bi-lateral cochlear implants and so we didn’t know if he would be able to be in a mainstreamed kindergarten classroom, and he is and he has pull-out services. So, we came a long way and he is mainstreamed with all the other kids. I’m a little sad because my baby is no longer a baby, but it’s going to be good for him and he’s going to have a wonderful experience.

What was the last thing you said to your kindergartner?
“‘Bye, I love you and I will pick you up at 2:45 in front of the school. Have a great day.’”

Erica Bell
Mom to Benjamin, kindergarten

What was the hardest part of getting your kindergartner up this morning?
He didn’t want to get up. He just laid there and wanted to watch “Sponge Bob.”

What is in your child’s lunch box?
He’s actually eating school lunch this week.

Are they wearing anything new or special for the first day of school?
Everything’s new. He loved going with me and Grandma, picking out new clothes for kindergarten this year.

How did you feel this morning?
Excited but sad. I was teary-eyed — he wasn’t. He was fine.

What was the last thing you said to your kindergartner?
“I love you, have a great day, see you later!”

BAY HAVEN SCHOOL OF BASICS-PLUS

Leah DuBose
First grade

How was your first day of school?
It was fun. We had science for our special and pizza for lunch. I bring my own lunch. And my teacher’s very nice.

What do you hope to learn this year?
I hope to learn about science and art.

What’s your favorite thing about school?
I like to draw, read and write.

What’s the last thing your parents said when you got out of the car?
“Have a good day.”

Mihajlo Sibinkic
First grade

How is first grade different from kindergarten?
We have different teachers, different friends and different classrooms.

What have you done so far?
This morning, Ms. Mundy made us count all the way to 118. I got all the way before everyone else did. She made us write it — I like writing.

What did you do this summer?
I’ve been traveling — to Serbia — 27 hours. I met my whole family — my 11 cousins and three sisters.

Do you know what you want to be when you grow up?
A storekeeper.

Sebastian Genelhu-Bazan
First grade

What did you do over the summer?
I went to the park and my sister’s daycare.

What did you have for lunch yesterday?
I had a lunch box — Lunchables, orange juice and potato chips.

What’s in your backpack?
I have my binder and my “me box.” I have a Brazil shirt and some kind of toys and a bouncy ball. And my favorite dinosaur, the gigantasaurus.

Carter Gish
First grade

What did you do on the first day?
Played on the computers.

What do you hope to do in first grade?
Recess.

What do you like about your teacher?
She’s good. She gives us good stuff to do.

How did you get to school?
I walked with my mom. I gave her a hug and a kiss.

What did you do over the summer?
Went to D.C. and my aunt’s house. My sister used to go (to school) here. She went to a dance academy this summer, and I saw some of her classes.