Clark County students return to the classroom

By Jenny Davis, Ashley Livingston, Jeff O'Brien, Cassie Tomlin

Published Monday, Aug. 25, 2008 | 11:32 a.m.

Updated Monday, Aug. 25, 2008 | 2:46 p.m.

Today was a big day for children and families in the Las Vegas area -- students on the regular nine-month schedule returned to classes for the start of the 2008-09 school year.

At Givens Elementary School in Summerlin, hundreds of students filed into the cafeteria for the first lunch of the school year.

At first, 5-year-old Jaden Stockwell struggled with opening his fruit roll-up snack - but eventually he succeeded.

When asked if he was nervous about the first day of school, he emphatically shook his head.

“I’m excited,” Jaden said.

Christina Middlebrook of Summerlin was with her 6-year-old son Conner, providing company for his first lunch of the new school year.

“The teachers and nurses have been wonderful,” Middlebrook said. “You can tell the school really prepares for the first day. They are so organized.”

“My teacher is really nice,” Conner said as he munched on cheese and crackers. “Her name is Mrs. Hellickson.”

Up at the school’s front desk, Terry Clickner said the first day was going very smoothly - although a few parents were inevitably stressed out.

“It’s bound to happen, but we try to accommodate them,” Clickner said. “Getting back into the routine isn’t easy, especially if they have lots of kids. But parents are just trying to keep their children happy and that’s our goal, as well.”

On the menu for lunch at Givens was pizza, macaroni and cheese, green beans, diced peaches, cookies and milk or juice.

But 5-year-old Koby Watstein was perfectly content with a big Rice Krispie treat.

“My lunch is really good,” Koby said.

Walking to Ernest Becker Sr. Middle School in Summerlin together, a pair of siblings had a different perspective of what the first day of school would be like.

“I’m scared,” said Trysten Wright, who started sixth grade.

Wright moved on from William R. Lummis Elementary School, which had a student population of about 600, to the middle school, which has about 1,350 students. “I am afraid I won’t know where anything is.”

His older sister, Katie, who is entering seventh grade, said her nerves are calm, the only emotion she felt was excitement.

“I don’t feel afraid anymore, I got use to the school last year,” she said. “I’m just excited about seeing all my friends again.”

Dropping their daughter off at Becker, Lynn and John Sanderson said they wanted to be there for their daughter, Kari, as she entered the 8th grade.

“We wanted to say 'hi' to the teachers,” John said. “We wanted to let them know they do a great job. They were standing outside waiting for the students. This day has gone by smoothly, and Kari is so excited to go back to school.”

At Cimarron-Memorial High School in northwest Las Vegas, students jammed the hallways and laughed and hugged as they reunited after the three-month summer.

“It kind of stinks to be back at school, but it’s cool to be around my friends again,” said Kristy Hansen, a junior.

With 2,946 students, Cimarron-Memorial was crowded, but Ben Schultz, student body president, said he hopes the school will feel united this year with school spirit.

“This year is going to be a blast,” he said. “My goal is to get school spirit into everyone and make sure that everyone has a great high school experience.”

At a school in the Silverado area, excited 5-year-olds acquainted themselves with their new playground equipment while their parents looked on, holding for them their brightly colored backpacks and snack bags.

Others stood looking nervous, clinging to their mom or dad’s hands and listening to reassurances.

Then the bell rang.

The play and the hand holding all came to a quick stop as the first-time students at John C. Bass Elementary School hustled to meet their new kindergarten teachers.

Parents snapped away with their digital cameras and could be heard telling younger siblings they would get to go too when they were 5 years old.

“She’s a little nervous about making new friends, but she’s excited,” said Jennifer Squier of her only child, Abigail. “I think mommy’s more nervous,” she said.

In recognition that the first day of kindergarten can be as big of an experience for the parents as it is for the new students, the school hosted a BooHoo Breakfast following the wave goodbye from the classroom bound sons and daughters.

“I’m scared, I’m upset, but she’s excited,” Theresa Simmons said. Her daughter Madison has been talking about finally getting to attend school for the last year, she said.

Grandparents of Jayden, 5, sat in the lunchroom checking out the photos they had just taken of her heading into the classroom.

“I’m surprised she didn’t cry, I was expecting a meltdown,” said her mom, Jamie Leaper.

“I didn’t get any sleep last night,” but she was just fine, she said.

In Boulder City, children strapped to backpacks bigger than their bodies swarmed the kindergarten yard this morning for their first day at Andrew J. Mitchell Elementary School.

As 138 first-time pupils, mostly 5-year-olds, filed off the playground into classrooms at 8:30 a.m., the anxious ones seemed to be the older set — their parents.

Haley Hoover, a bob-haired girl in coordinated red and black from head to toe, skipped into place with her classmates while her mother and father looked sad and took pictures.

Haley, the first of their children to start school, had counted down the minutes this morning before leaving for class, Chris and Crystal Hoover said.

“I think I’m going to cry before she will,” Haley’s dad said.

“I wish she’d come running out the door begging us not to leave her,” her mom said.

Haley joined 28 other children in Angela Richman’s half-day kindergarten class, where a few children sniffled. But Haley only smiled.

Jenny Davis, Ashley Livingston, Jeff O'Brien and Cassie Tomlin are reporters for the Home News.