Approximately 230 students in kindergarten through 12th grade arrived at Jamestown bright and early Monday, Aug. 17. Superintendent Ellen Ash and Principal Matt McDannold were on hand welcoming all the students back to school.
The school bond money allowed for plaster repair work to be done and the fresh paint made the hallways glisten as the students arrived.
New classroom doors were installed in the main hallway to replace the old ones which no longer met safety/security requirements.
Many improvements in the gymnasium included new bleachers, energy efficient lighting, new exit doors and renovation which is still underway in the locker rooms. The gym floor looks great as it was sanded down, refinished and restriped.
One challenge is housing students according to the administration. "All the high school students we have and not enough space for them has made classroom sharing a new thing this year." Ash and McDannold agreed they had to get a little creative in planning. "We will be eating in shifts and adding a few chairs here and there during our high school lunch program" according to McDannold. With the funds being available we will be able to build the much needed building by the beginning of next school year, until then we will remain creative with sharing rooms and taking care of the students.
During a brief assembly Monday morning McDannold shared the sixth graders will be on rotation just like the older students. He reminded the students that the school doors are open at 7:30 a.m. and everyone would need to report to the lobby until classes begin.
A new cell phone policy was announced by McDannold. Students are allowed to bring them to school but can not have them on from the time they enter until the end of the class day. He informed students the first offense would be three days of detention and would be increased for each offense that followed.
Another change for students would be back packs would have to be stored in lockers and not carried from room to room. "Since there is a shortage of space for the high school class rooms all back packs will need to remain in lockers" said McDannold. He also reminded students no eating in classrooms and only water bottles would be allowed.
The students were dismissed from the gym to receive their schedules and begin their first day.
According to Superintendent Ash, "All my faculty from last year returned, plus two new additions Kim Hardwick, math and science, and Seth Thomas, health and P.E., head varsity boys basketball, junior high girls and boys basketball, assistant baseball coach. This really helps in making for a smooth start. Having people we already know in place just makes things go easy on the first day."