Montgomery Public Schools Students Head Back to School

by WAKA Action 8 News

It’s the start of a new year for Montgomery Public Schools. It was the first day of school for thousands of students in our area.
 

We visited Seth Johnson Elementary School, where we spoke with students and teachers to find out how they plan to take on this new school year.

The 2014-2015 school year is officially underway for Montgomery Public Schools. At Seth Johnson Elementary, kindergarteners said goodbye to mom and dad and for many of them, made their way into their first classroom ever.  Aaliyah Davis is one of them.

“What are you excited for, for the school year?” we asked four-year-old Aaliyah Davis. “For learning,” she replies.

“The curriculum is much more rigorous now,” says Ferlisha Dotson.

Dotson has been the principal of Seth Johnson for four years. She tells us this school year will be a little different in that teachers will be implementing College and Career Readiness Standards, or CCRS, as part of the Common Core curriculum, supported by state superintendent Tommy Bice.

“That’s a part of Dr. Bices 20/20 plan to make certain that every child that graduates is ready for college and or career so we’re starting that curriculum in kindergarten, we want to get that in our students heads.”

Each student at Seth Johnson Elementary School was greeted Monday morning by decorated hallways and themed classrooms. Here is Mrs. Sanford’s classroom, she turned it into a zoo.

“I plan on going over my rules, explaining what to do and what not to do, what i expect from them,” says Brandy Sanford. “Even though they’re kindergarteners, you still have to give them expectations.”

Five year old Kyndall Adams has some expectations of her own.  She wants to learn how to tie her shoes this year.

“I don’t know how to tie my shoes yet. I need to get older to tie my shoes.”

Though Mrs. Sanford says she will learn a lot more than that.

“I expect them to leave my classroom knowing how to read, how to write, how to spell words, how to count, add, subtract.”