More than 45,000 students started the 2019-2020 school year on Aug. 12.
By
Whitney Elfstrom
| 9:40 a.m. August 12, 2019
Sarasota
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Sarasota students said goodbye to summer days spent at the beach and hello to school days filled with reading, writing and arithmetic as they head into the 2019-2020 school year.
More than 45,000 Sarasota County children went back to school on Aug. 12. Some of the faces of the students at Southside Elementary, Gocio Elementary School, Alta Vista Elementary and Emma E. Booker Elementary School were covered with big, excited smiles while others were stained with tears that said, "No, I'm not ready for summer to end."
Steven Royce, principal of Gocio Elementary School, said that he is ready for the school year and is excited that the elementary school received a school grade of B from the state for the previous school year. Some of the staff at Gocio was so excited about the new grade they dressed up as bumblebees.
Edwina Oliver, principal of Emma E. Booker, said their theme for this school year is, "Be a game changer." Sports-themed decorations are posted in the hallways, and the school also hopes to raise proficiency in English and language arts and math.
Alta Vista Principal Barbara Shirley said: The first day of school is always very exciting. The students are happy and eager to get back to class.
One thing is for sure, school is back in session and the children of Sarasota are ready to embark on a new year.
Ms. Reese's pre-K class lines up to go to breakfast. // Whitney Elfstrom
Brian and Vralon Jackson walk hand-in-hand to Southside Elementary. // Harry Sayer
Susan Crittenden, second-grade student Summer Harris and Dax Harris take a photo opp in front of Alta Vista Elementary’s mural wall. // Brynn Mechem
Sherry Gunderson shakes hands with Ar'Marian Gilchrist, who was excited to be in her fifth-grade class at Emma E. Booker Elementary this year. // Nathalie Kaemmerer
Brielle Kilduff parks her scooter at Southside Elementary. // Harry Sayer
Joseph Salguero-Mondragon and Aaliyah Vasquez Navarro prepare for their first day of kindergarten at Gocio Elementary School. // Whitney Elfstrom
Fabienne Augustin and first grader Abigail Denize are loaded up with school supplies for the year at Alta Vista Elementary. // Brynn Mechem
Maliyah Summers and Jessica Young. Summers is going into fifth grade at Emma E. Booker Elementary. // Nathalie Kaemmerer
Brock, Scarlett, Kinley and Michelle Gratton prepare themselves for the first day of school at Southside Elementary. // Harry Sayer
Kayden Clyburn colors before his first pre-K class starts at Gocio Elementary School. // Whitney Elfstrom
First grader Dakota Harvey and Shakiera Harvey poses for a picture before heading off to class at Alta Vista Elementary School. // Brynn Mechem
Emma E. Booker Elementary Principal Edwina Oliver straightens a students collar. // Nathalie Kaemmerer
Mosaik Williams prepares himself for his first day of fourth grade as he walks to Southside Elementary. // Harry Sayer
Debora Jean waits in line for breakfast on her first day of third grade. // Whitney Elfstrom
Rozanny Moreno, first grade student Amy Ramirez-Moreno and Jenny Cabrera are excited for the first day of school at Alta Vista Elementary. // Brynn Mechem
Major Wynan and Romelo Salem fuel up before school at Emma E. Booker Elementary. // Nathalie Kaemmerer
Jackson, Porter and Stella McCoi relax a moment outside of Southside Elementary. // Harry Sayer
Denae and Brenda Evans say goodbye on Denae's first day of pre-K at Gocio Elementary School. // Whitney Elfstrom
Delmy Guerra and first grade student Edgar Amador-Guerra are happy to head back to Alta Vista Elementary. // Brynn Mechem
Shawn, Cornesha and Cordell Thomas spend the last few seconds of school-free days together before the year starts at Emma E. Booker Elementary. // Nathalie Kaemmerer
Katie, Harper and Corey Jordan walk together to Southside Elementary. // Harry Sayer
Eyva Theodore shows off her rainbow bow on her first day of kindergarten at Gocio Elementary School. // Whitney Elfstrom
Two girls hold hands as they excitedly walk to class at Alta Vista Elementary. // Brynn Mechem
First graders Serenity Carter and Genesis Williams smile for the first day at Emma E. Booker Elementary. // Nathalie Kaemmerer
Southside’s Panther Mascot welcomes children to their first day of the new school year. // Harry Sayer
Yenisbel Fernandez snaps a photo of Pablo and Natalie Velazquez before her first class at Gocio Elementary School. // Whitney Elfstrom
t’s a party of five as Sha’Miya Williams, 1st grade student Lyric Chisholm, Ja’Anna Smith, Curtis Thomas and 4th grade student Quintonio Chisholm walk the halls of Alta Vista Elementary. // Brynn Mechem
Imori Gordon and Stella Nash await the first day of third grade at Emma E. Booker Elementary. // Nathalie Kaemmerer
Dylan Sobol and Sebastian Harvey work on their chess moves outside of Southside Elementary. // Harry Sayer
Nina Mortimer and Irvin Puga-Tapia smile on their first day of first grade at Gocio Elementary School. // Whitney Elfstrom
Alta Vista Elementary kindergarten teacher Alyssa Haven is all smiles as she welcomes students into their first day of school. // Brynn Mechem
Rokhi Williams munches on cereal in the Gocio Elementary School cafeteria before his first day of kindergarten. // Whitney Elfstrom
Hezekiah Quamina and Cody Zarves wait for their turn to be called on during the first day of kindergarten at Alta Vista Elementary. // Brynn Mechem
Johanna Caminero helps Jaime Tomas-Jacinto with a worksheet at Emma E. Booker Elementary. // Nathalie Kaemmerer
