First Day of School in East Lyme

The first day of school in East Lyme was, by most accounts, a roaring success. Sure, there were a few tears as parents dropped of kindergarteners (probably more parents than kids!), a few kids who forgot to bring lunch money, and a couple of students who boarded the wrong bus but all things considered, East Lyme schools are off to a great start.

The new driveway to Flanders Elementary School and new Central Office parking lot was even repaved just in the nick of time!

"The first day was perfect!" said Niantic Center Elementary School Principal Melissa DeLoreto. "It's almost like we never left for 10 weeks. I rode the kindergarten bus in the middle of the day and the kids seemed happy. Everyone at the end of the day was a little bit tired but we'll all be back tomorrow!"

Growth Spurts in the Elementary Schools

There were a lot of new faces in the elementary schools this morning and not just in kindergarten. Last year, enrollment at Lillie B. Haynes Elementary School was 320. This year, it's up to 335 in K through 4th grade. 

"We're excited to have all these new kids. We picked up 30 more unanticipated students," said Principal David Miko, because more families moved into the district. 

The school didn't have to take on additional staff to handle the sudden growth spurt. Even though this year there are 72 third graders, divided into three classes that's still a student-teacher ratio of 24 to 1, which is one less than the maximum class size of 25 students.

The teachers have a lot of assistance from paraprofessionals, said Miko, most of whom have years of experience and many of whom are certified teachers themselves.

The focus this year in all the elementary schools is on educational enrichment programs, particularly in language arts and math, which are designed to give students more individualized attention in these important academic areas.  

Big News From The Middle School

Students entering East Lyme Middle School this year aren't just going to a good school, they're going to the best middle school in Connecticut! The Connecticut Association of Schools has named East Lyme Middle School Connecticut Middle School of the Year. 

"We're very excited!" said Middle School Principal Judy Deleeuw, adding that the whole school will be celebrating the achievement on September 28, with dignitaries, politicians, and make-your-own sundaes for the kids. 

It's a high honor and one that's not easily achieved. Schools have to submit narratives describing their philosophy, curriculum, and practices, and then the association picks just two to visit to determine which school is the best.

"As one of the teachers said, you can't fake what happens here," said Deleeuw. "It's the feel of the building, the interaction with the kids. The staff here are extremely professional and hard working and the parents really contribute to the leadership. The students are so fun, so polite, and work so hard!"

What's New at the High School

The , isn't the only thing that's new at East Lyme High School. The school has implemented a number of new programs, added new classes, and tightened a few rules too.

"One of the changes we made was to use our faculty in more academically productive ways," said Principal Michael Susi.  

For instance, instead of having teachers sit in hallways or monitor bathrooms, the school has installed an electronic key pass system that works with student IDs. Freeing up teachers has allowed the high school to offer a new academic support program for English and math.

One teacher will be assigned to 10 to 15 students for "academic labs" and drop-in programs. This one-on-one attention enables the school to develop individual student success plans. To help parents and students track their progress, the High School will now be sending out emails with grades and attendance reports every two weeks, "so there's no surprises that come up in these areas," Susi said.

The school also started a couple of entrepreneurial programs. The first, which began last year, is "Passions to Profit" and this year, the school has added a print shop to its graphic design program so students will be able to produce mugs and t-shirts with logos they create. 

There's one last change this year that not every student will welcome. It's a new code of conduct for school dances. Based on complaints from students and parents who felt some of the dance moves were crossing the line, the school is putting the kibbosh on some of the more inappropriate dance styles.