School year said off to a good start because of dad's blueberry pancakes

GILFORD — Yesterday was the first day of the new school year. Three youngsters, representing the three levels of the School District, agreed in their own way that students, teachers, parents and the school each play a role in the successful pursuit of education.

Samuel Leggett, who had his first day of first grade yesterday, was full of stories about summer time trips to Water Country, where he went down the "Double Geronimo" slide, and a trip to Walt Disney World. He arrived at the Elementary School toting a backpack stuffed with a pencil box, pencils, pencil sharpener, a notebook and erasers.

In Samuel's view, a good teacher should help students, and, "not be, like, super loud, not yell at people." Students should also behave, he said, by "helping their friends and not arguing with them. Cleaning up, even if it's not yours."

As far the school, he said it was important for its users to "not leave it too dirty," and that it should "have a reasonable amount of bathrooms." When asked about parents, Samuel said his dad was responsible for sending him to school with a belly full of blueberry pancakes.

Samuel's older brother Connor, who experienced his first day of sixth grade yesterday, also enjoyed the pancake breakfast. While Samuel was impressed by Double Geronimo, Connor was still excited by the Jurassic Park Ride at Universal Studios. "You go uo 85 feet, then you come down in the dark – it's a raft ride like Splash Mountain – but you're under a dinosaur."

Good teachers, said Connor "have to be sort of fun, have different ways of teaching stuff. I like it when they have a good sense of humor."

Good students, he said, "should be able to socialize with friends but also be able to concentrate in class." And a good school, he said, "should have a mix of different kinds of people so you can learn about new religions and traditions, so you learn about other people's lives that you never knew about before."

Compared to his younger brother, Connor felt parents played a larger role than that of breakfast cook and school supplies procurer. "When you get assigned homework, if you don't get it, it's helpful if parents can help you but not just give you the answer... They also make you pancakes in the morning."

As exciting as amusement park rides can be, Paige Laliberte, who is starting her junior year of high school, had an even more memorable summer. A goalkeeper, she played with the Seacoast United soccer club as it won the state cup, then traveled with the club as it won the regional tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her team will go to Tampa, Fla. in November to compete in a national tournament.

Laliberte thought a good teacher "is someone who can use different types of teaching styles that will reach out to different kids. Someone who is personable with kids but not their best friend." Teachers need to be accessible for the students, whether they're troubled by academic or personal problems. "Someone who is willing to make that student-teacher relationship and not just be a teacher."

A good student, in Laliberte's view, "is somebody who can balance the different things they do during school, have relationships with friends and not get too overwhelmed in one thing or another."

A good school, she continued, is "somewhere where kids feel comfortable, where they feel safe, where they can develop what they like and don't like."

As for the role of parents, Laliberte said, "I think they should play a pretty good role, but not that they're 'helicopter parents.'" She thinks parents should allow their children the space to make their own mistakes. "Be there to suppot them if they need help, but not control what they do."

Opening day enrollment at the Gilford Elementary School was 370 and 335 were enrolled at the Middle School. At the high school, which serves both Gilford and Gilmanton, there were 535 students enrolled as of yesterday.

CAPTION for FIRST DAY SAM in AA:

Samuel Leggett, a first grade student at Gilford Elementary School, said a good school is one with a "reasonable amount of bathrooms." (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Adam Drapcho)

CAPTION for FIRST DAY CONNOR in AA:

Connor Leggett, a sixth grader at Gilford Elementary, enjoyed the blueberry pancakes his dad made the morning of the first day of school on Thursday. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Adam Drapcho)

CAPTION for FIRST DAY PAIGE in AA:

Paige Laliberte, a junior at Gilford High School, spent her summer playing goalie with the Seacoast United soccer club as it won tournament after tournament. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Adam Drapcho)