It was a smooth start to the school year as more than 8,000
students in the county headed back to class Monday, but some
teachers went home wiped out because they had their hands full with
extra students.
San Benito County – It was a smooth start to the school year as more than 8,000 students in the county headed back to class Monday, but some teachers went home wiped out because they had their hands full with extra students.
“It’s been a lot less crazy this morning than it has been in previous years,” said Carmen Bejines, a secretary at Rancho San Justo Middle School. Students at Rancho arrived much earlier to pick up their schedules and students helped the staff hand them out, which made things easier, Bejines said.
Eighth-grader Bri Ahumada-Wolfsmith said she didn’t mind coming to school early, in fact, she’s been waiting all summer to return.
“Summer was way too long,” she said. “It’s good to be back. This is where all my friends are.”
Rancho, along with the rest of Hollister School District experienced the anticipated class size change in grades four through eight. The class size jumped to 35 students to one teacher, and while many teachers were concerned about how students would adjust to the larger classes, Ahumada-Wolfsmith and her friends didn’t mind.
“It did seemed packed in the classroom, but it doesn’t bother me,” eighth-grader Courtney Scarlett said.
HSD kindergarten classrooms saw a jump in numbers as well, and Marina Arano-Martinez, a kindergarten teacher at Sunnyslope School, said Monday was difficult. Under HSD’s new kindergarten schedule, which was approved during budget cuts in June, class sizes fluctuate between 16 students during reading and math, and 32 during social studies, fine arts, science and physical education. During the time period when there are 32 students in the room, teachers have an aide on hand for help, but Arano-Martinez said it’s stressful.
“They’re so confused,” she said about her students. “I had one child lost during lunch time, off wandering about the playground. It’s tough.”
Sunnyslope Vice Principal Christine White is proud of her kindergarten teachers and the way they’re handling the changes.
“Today has been very tough for them,” she said Monday. “They have almost double the amount of students in the classroom, but despite how difficult it is, I think they’re doing a great job.”
While most county school districts are going in full swing, the new principal at Panoche School, Ottalie Davis, has one more week to prepare. Coming from Florida, Davis, 50, is excited about her move to the tiny community of Panoche with only a dozen or so students, and is already planning new field trips and curriculum schedules.
“I think it’s really important for these kids to go on field trips, and see things outside of this community,” she said. “I’ve also heard a big concern of parents is that the students aren’t up to speed on basic skills, so I really want to focus mainly of reading, writing and arithmetic.”
Another new principal, Debbie Padilla, got her long awaited opportunity to meet and talk with students during the second period block at San Benito High School.
“Everything just went really smoothly,” Padilla said. “The students were very cooperative in getting there schedules and it was a good day.”
