Under a bright September sun, kindergarteners through high school seniors made the time-honored journey from a carefree summer back to the order and expectations of the classroom.
Their mixed emotions were on full display on Tuesday morning in front of the seven Island public schools with a total of more than 2,000 students showing up for the first day. In the midst of elation at seeing old friends to tearful goodbyes with parents, the new school year is officially underway, from up-Island’s quaint but growing Chilmark Elementary School to the bustling parking lot of the MV Regional High School.
School administrators were bracing for the heightened energy of the morning — in some places that meant putting out coffee and breakfast for the parents — while others ushered students into their classrooms where bright-eyed teachers waited to greet them.
First-grader Arthur Shoenherr was getting ready outside the West Tisbury School, where he was standing with his mother, Lais. Arthur was holding her hand and looking around at the other students with a look of pure joy. When asked how he felt about the first day, there was no nervousness in sight: “I’m good because I’m feeling excited that I’m finally in first grade — because that was a long time in kindergarten!”
The new first grader, aside from describing a lengthy kindergarten year, said he has great hopes of learning new words and “a lot of other stuff.” Among his goals was making more paper books, which he added he has made quite a lot of already. “I have a good feeling I’m gonna make new friends,” he continued gleefully.
Not far away, Brooke and Cal Stedman were waiting for the bell to ring for the first time next to a pony adorned in a rainbow flag — an annual tradition to welcome new students. Cal said he’s entering first grade, and is looking forward to the year ahead. His sister, Brooke, is going into third grade, and said she’s interested in learning more about sharks this year. “We’re learning about sharks in class,” she said. “[And] I’m seeing my friends again.”
Some of the students were less enthusiastic about the year ahead — a group of middle schoolers shouted out, “I want summer longer!” as they giggled and ran to friends they saw across the lawn.
Down-Island at the Tisbury School, Silas Barber was literally counting down the days until school started again, according to his mother and grandparents, who lingered outside the school after he headed in. He’s an only child, and school is where he socializes the most.
“He has been waiting for this day since school got out last summer,” his grandmother, Mary Austin, said. She’s a retired Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School teacher, and said she loves seeing the genuine joy he has in his education. “He’s a great reader, and he’s a really good student, so I think he enjoys all the aspects of learning.”
“He’s more excited about the first day of school than Halloween,” Silas’ mother, Anna Barber, said as she smiled and added that Halloween is his favorite holiday. “I wonder at what point that’s going to change. I hope never. This morning, we were almost late because he had to change his socks, his face had to be clean, [and] he had to have all of his supplies.”
The Tisbury School was decorated with signage for the first day as parents and students took photos in front, marking the occasion and documenting the start of a new school year.