A new school year marks the passage of time

MONROE — One of second-grader Olivia Mutone’s first big projects on a rainy Tuesday morning at Pine Tree Elementary was to put all her brand new school supplies in order at her desk. Fresh, yet-to-be opened boxes of Crayola crayons, markers and colored pencils were piled high, waiting for placement among the other items on the list provided to her parents in June. There were scissors and Post-it Notes, still in their packages, waiting with primary colored plastic folders and a spiral notebook to be organized. Don’t forget the box of 24 number two pencils - surely there will be lots of writing - to go along with her new “Words I Use When I Write,” a journal of words she will learn and incorporate into her writing development skills. Next to those important materials was Olivia’s new, spiral bound school planner, which will become a useful book for writing homework assignments and which will be going home with her every night in her new backpack. New school buildings For Olivia and other second-graders throughout the Monroe-Woodbury School District, the first day of classes on Tuesday marked a new beginning. Students who attended Smith Clove and Sapphire elementary schools last year as first-graders have now moved onto Pine Tree, North Main and Central Valley elementary schools. And while it may not be so obvious to them, their parents - as did parents of all grade levels - knew the opening of school marked the passage of time and a reminder that their children are growing up and becoming more independent. “Time is fleeting,” said Olivia’s mother Bethany Mutone of Monroe. “It goes incredibly fast. You almost see time move forward as they get physically older. I want her to still be little, but as the same time I want her to grow and experience everything with an inquisitive nature.” Those new experiences were beginning throughout the district on Tuesday, including in Michele Romano’s second-grade class where Olivia and her new friends were learning the classroom’s rules, new routines and getting a taste of the new subjects they will be studying. “I think I liked everything,” said Olivia at the end of her first day at a new school. “My teacher is nice and pretty. Today, we had art and indoor recess. I made some new friends. We colored a lot. I had a really fun day. ” The routine Olivia’s teacher was equally happy with her class’ first day. “I think everything went smoothly,” said Romano. “It’s one of the smoothest days I’ve had. I’m excited for this year.” Also excited was Pine Tree Assistant Principal Karen Brock, who said despite the unseasonably cold and rainy weather, happy faces were the norm as students got off buses. “It’s the anticipation of something new, that’s what I think makes it (the first day of school) exciting,” said Brock as she watched a second-grade class walk around the building in two shipshape lines of boys and girls, most in special “first day of school” attire. “New friends, new teachers, new information, the big smiles, the high-fives. It’s all new, and it’s all great. It’s a time for reflection and everybody enjoys the newness of it.” The new school year also brings with it something parents, teachers and many students look to have: A routine. “For me as a teacher, I’m excited to get back into the classroom,” said Romano “For the kids, it’s a brand new year for them. They’re excited and there’s probably some apprehension about coming into a new building that’s so much bigger than their old schools.” Like other second-graders, Olivia visited the school in the late spring and again last week so she was fairly familiar with the building’s layout. But Olivia, who was among those wearing a special new outfit on Tuesday, admitted she was a bit nervous going to a new school. Knowing her mother and aunt were both Pine Tree alumni helped calm her uneasiness. And as with anything new and somewhat unknown, Olivia followed her mother’s advice about how to deal with first day jitters and was happy to share it: “If you don’t try, you’ll never get used to it.”