After three months of summer, visits to the beach and family
vacations, more than 6,000 students in the Hollister School
District returned to classes, homework and books yesterday.
Hollister – After three months of summer, visits to the beach and family vacations, more than 6,000 students in the Hollister School District returned to classes, homework and books yesterday.
For eighth grade student Clayton Slater, 13, the first day of school at Marguerite Maze Middle School was, for the most part, enjoyable.
“The best part was just meeting my friends and my teacher, Mr. Gauvreau,” Slater said. “He’s pretty funny, a good teacher.”
Slater and many of his friends are looking forward to school this year at Maze, he said.
“(The teachers) said we’re going have more dances this year,” Slater said. “And there’s way more kids this year.”
Many changes have taken place in the district during the summer months. The Hollister School District hired Interim Superintendent Ron Crates and more than a dozen new teachers. In addition, individual schools juggled schedules in order to make sure things run smoothly this year.
Though the summer saw bad financial news for the district, teachers on the first day of classes remained optimistic. And while concerns about the district’s financial crisis did not dissipate completely, many teachers and administrators said they were completely focused on the districts main goal, educating students.
Last year was difficult for HSD financially, and in July, County Superintendent of Schools Tim Foley said it’s a “real possibility” that the state could take over the district if the budget doesn’t improve. Foley’s chief financial officer recently examined the district’s budget and determined that HSD will be forced to spend $1.6 million in reserves for the 2006-2007 school year, leaving only about $300,000 left in board coffers at year’s end. With too little left over to meet state reserve requirements, Foley said he would be forced to give the district a negative certification, which could lead to state intervention.
But financial worries weren’t the main focus when the bells rang. For fourth grade teachers Celina Garcia and Fallon Greig, the first day of school went smoothly at Gabilan Hills Elementary School.
“We had a great morning. I love being at this school and I love the fourth graders,” Garcia said. “It’s a big difference from teaching first grade.”
Fellow fourth grade teacher Greig agreed.
“I’m really excited, it’s always good to see new faces,” Greig said. “(The students) are looking forward to making new friends and also looking forward to learning.”
Garcia and Greig spent much of the morning going over classroom and school rules and occupied students with a variety of activities aimed at making students familiar with their new environment and each other. Both teachers had 35 students in their classes, which they said was slightly higher than previous years, but classes sizes aside, both were very positive about the new school year.
Across the athletic field at Marguerite Maze Middle School, many teachers and students enjoyed the first day of school, but all had to adjust to the new schedule. The schedule creates two lunch periods, one for sixth graders, and another for seventh and eighth graders.
“I’m excited, I think the new schedule change will be good for the kids,” Maze Physical Education Teacher Guy Fullington said. “It will make lunch go smoother and students will have shorter (lunch) lines.”
This year there will also be several changes in the P.E. department, which has benefited from the addition of a new weight room, teachers said. Fullington and fellow P.E. teachers John White, Maria Munoz and Katie Beckett will focus on team sports this year, following an alternating schedule with individual sports, which was emphasized last year. P.E. students will be kept busy this year, White said. Students will be running one mile every other week and working out in the school’s new weight room every Friday.
Maze Principal Bernice Smith, who has been with the district for three decades, began her 14th year as principal yesterday. Smith was excited about the new year and said the school will be focused on academics this year, despite increased numbers of students in each classroom.
District officials have not nailed down just how many students are heading back to classes because enrollment data has not yet been compiled, but they expect to have solid figures by the end of the first quarter.
“We’re pretty crowded, but the teachers are fantastic,” Smith said.
Hollister School District’s financial troubles have disquieted many, but it won’t prevent teachers from teaching and students from learning, Smith said.
“It’s an area of concern for everyone,” she said. “But it doesn’t stop us from our main goal, which is giving students the best possible education.”
In order to provide that kind of quality education, many teachers are looking over recent Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) results to determine which areas students need more help.
Hollister Elementary School Teachers Association President Jan Grist, a seventh grade world history teacher at Maze, said she and many other teachers are armed with new information garnered from the STAR results.
“Our test scores showed that (history teachers) need to spend more time on the Renaissance and the Reformation,” Grist said.
Test results aside, Grist said the first day was “excellent” and all of the teachers she spoke with were positive about the new year. One reason for optimism was the presence of Crates.
Crates visited six of the eight schools in the district yesterday to talk to teachers, students and administrators about the new year.
“It was a nice change from the past to see the superintendent at our school site on the first day of school,” Grist said.
Crates, who will visit the two remaining schools on his list today, said he enjoyed visiting the schools, many of which he has spent little time at because he was hired just two weeks ago.
“The schools are great,” Crates said. “Teaching is taking place, students are learning.”
Brett Rowland covers education for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
