The 2015-16 school year started Aug. 24, but students, their guardians and teachers began the celebration Aug. 20 at Anna Maria Elementary’s Back-to-School Night.
The gathering gave everyone the opportunity to mingle. Students dropped-off school supplies and collected pre-ordered supply packages from the AME Parent-Teacher Organization.
Throughout the evening, students, teachers and other attendees talked about what makes them most excited in the new school year.
“I like that the kids are very excited,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. “They like to get involved, to learn and I’m excited that DARE is a part of that,” he said, referring to the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program taught to AME students by HBPD officers.
“I’m excited to learn new stuff,” fourth-grader Noah Wampole said.
“I’m excited about being back in kindergarten,” teacher Kelly Crawford said. “I spent all summer here decorating and playing.”
“I’m excited about everything, everything!” second-grader Madison Ferrari said.
“It’s a science room!” she said, speaking of teacher Karen Newhall’s classroom, which she visited several times throughout the night with family members.
Madison’s sister, first-grader Maya, said she’s eager to see her friends, “especially McKenna.”
Fifth-grade teacher Michele Costanzo, new to AME, said, “I’m excited about getting to know the children and their guardians. And seeing their ‘ah-hah!’ moments when they discover something new.”
“I’m most excited about meeting my new teacher,” fifth-grader Mariella Ferrari said, greeting Costanzo for the first time.
“I’m excited about getting back to the routine,” Mariella’s grandmother, Joan Ferrari, said. “It’s such a great school, such a relaxed and educational environment.”
Fifth-grader Anthony Monetti took a break from playing a game with other students to say he’s looking forward to “seeing my friends.”
Volunteer Charlene Doll said that after being a high school teacher for 35 years, she still gets excited for the start of a new year. “I love it, love it, love it!” she said.
“This is a good year,” media specialist Lynne McDonough said. “We’re prepared, we’re organized and we’ve gotten a lot of new titles in the library. We had a really great Scholastic book sale last year that gave us the opportunity to get new books. I’m very excited.”
Second-grade teacher Karen Newhall said, “I’m just excited to have a great year with my children, a great year of learning together.”
Physical education teacher Terri Ruise said she’s excited to meet the new fifth-graders. “They’re like the big people on campus. We try to use the fifth-graders as role models.”
Ruise also is excited to be working with art teacher Gary Wooten on the school’s six musical theater productions, one for each grade level. “I’m the assistant,” she said.
Wooten said he loves working with the kids in art and musical theater.
Not everyone was happy to see the summer end. When asked what he is looking forward to, fifth-grader Riley Quillin said, “Nothing. Nothing at all. Naps would be the one thing I’d be excited about.”
Principal Jackie Featherston said the thing she’s most excited about in the new school year is “getting all our children in school safely and having a smooth opening. I always get anxious for that.”
AME, which provides kindergarten through fifth-grade education, is at 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.