First day of school: Mix of familiar and different

LACONIA — For the first time in nearly half a year, the city’s public schools reverberated Wednesday with the sound of children’s voices.

About 800 of the city’s students were back in class six months after schools across the state were closed in a move to try and stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Roughly 40 percent of the district’s school children returned to the classroom Wednesday under a phased-in hybrid plan with pupils alternating between days of classroom instruction and at-home work assignments. Meanwhile, full-time remote instruction will continue for at least the next two months for about 400 students who have health conditions which make them more susceptible to the coronavirus.

But like so many things that have happened since the COVID-19 disruption, this first day of school was not like normal.

Sure, as in previous first days of school, many youngsters were sporting new footwear and book bags. But in keeping with what has become the new normal they were also wearing face masks and were being reminded to keep at least 6 feet apart from their classmates. In another COVID precaution, fewer students rode school buses and instead were driven to school by their parents.

This scene was played out at Elm Street School in Lakeport.

At about 8:15 a.m. cars began lining up on Jefferson Street about one block from the school. One by one the students got out and were greeted by Principal Tara Beauchemin and various teachers who ushered them to the sidewalk for the short walk to the school up the street. Large, orange tiger paw prints spaced 6 feet apart helped the students to keep socially distanced.

Arthur Chase, who drove his son, Boston, for the first day in fourth grade, was happy that school was reopening.

“It’s great. They need it,” he said. “They need the social structure.”

Ashley Campbell who brought her son, Rory, to begin second grade, had mixed feelings.

“We’re taking it day by day,” she said.

Rory, however, said he was eager to get back into class and “learn things.”

Aidan Juhasz sat in the back seat of his dad’s car, along with his younger sister, Madeline.

He was especially excited about the Star Trek face mask he was sporting.

“I’m certified cool,” he said.

Asked if he was excited to be going back to school, the fifth-grader replied, “Kinda.”

“We’ll find out when we get home,” his father, James, said with a chuckle.

School Principal Tara Beauchemin said the first day of school had gotten off to a good start.

She estimated that about 125 of the school’s total enrollment of just over 300 students were there for the first day. The other group of about 125 students will show up today under the hybrid schedule, she explained.