Saratoga News

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Photograph by George Sakkestad

Kindergartner Ian Wong took a bouquet of flowers to give to his teacher on the first day at Argonaut Elementary School on Aug. 23. This year at Argonaut, there are 502 students and 24 teachers.

Cautious Kindergartner

The first day of school can be ominous for children just starting out

By Michele Tjin

It may have been his first day at a regular big school, but Eric Fang showed that he was already a pro. He coolly played by himself, completely oblivious to the attention showered on him and other children around him. Cameras rolled around the students to forever capture the first day of kindergarten.

"For the first time [since summer], you have to get up early," said Eric's father, Jia-Yuan Fang.

Eric was one of the 502 students at Argonaut Elementary School on Aug. 23 for a new school year. Streets leading to the school had cars parked bumper-to-bumper well before the first bell, and principal Alex Chapman made sure motorists were driving safely, blowing his whistle and waving his arms.

Classroom assignments were taped up outside the school office. Meanwhile, some parents had trouble finding the right classroom. One woman with a small boy in tow wasn't quite sure which room would be his home away from home for the coming school year.

"I know. It's on the other side," the woman said.

But Ami Nachiappan had no trouble finding her third-grade classroom. She was the second one in line, patiently waiting for her teacher to emerge. Her summer was spent going to places such as New York, she said, and she was looking forward to the new year.

"She's excited, but my first-grader isn't so sure about it," said Ami's father, Nachi Nachiappan.

Some families have their own first-school-day traditions. Before dropping his fifth-grader, Nate, and fourth-grader, Emily, off at their classrooms, father Cliff Ludwig takes their pictures at home and makes note of their height and weight. But soon, the traditional anxieties also make themselves known.

"They're always interested to see what their teacher is like," Ludwig said.

The beginning of the school year is just as much a time to reconnect for students as it is for their parents.

"People are exchanging phone numbers and setting up carpools," Chapman said. "You see how important a school is for the community."

But the first day of school is perhaps the biggest deal for kindergartners. In Annel Uthman's kindergarten class, most children were playing with the toys that their new classroom had to offer. Peter Lagemann, wearing a brand-new outfit, was particularly keen on finding out if Uthman had any class pets that students could take home.

Peter and his twin, Gian, "were extremely excited about school and went to bed early for once," their mom Lucy Lagemann said. "They started getting nervous when they were coming to school."

Uthman said parents' most frequent questions for her dealt with how supervision will work in her class.

"Kindergarten is the first time for everything for parents and kids," she said. "I have to make sure they know all the procedures for the school and the classroom."

Parents lingered in her class and eagerly worked their cameras.

"You can't take enough pictures," said parent Shivajee Samdarshi.

But eventually, Uthman convinced her students to drop their toys, sit on a multicolored piece of carpet and wave goodbye to their parents. It was time to do some learning. This morning's lesson: if you want to talk, you need to raise your hand.

The first day of school was under way.