A successful start to the new school year

Most of the area school districts returned to classes Monday. Here’s a breakdown:

Lehighton

Schools are back in session in both Palmerton and Lehighton school districts, and officials with both are calling Monday’s opening day a success.

Both districts opened after Labor Day in 2018 to allow for additional prep time following building projects, but this year was more business as usual.

“Our staff and students were both eager to kick off the year,” Lehighton Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said Monday night. “We had many programs and informational sessions throughout the day. It’s always nice to see the excitement in our students’ eyes when they come back and see their friends again and get things started.”

A lot of work went into getting ready for Monday, Cleaver said, including three productive teacher in-service days last week centered on curriculum development. Staff also heard a presentation from St. Luke’s University Health Network officials on its “Stop The Bleed” efforts.

Stop The Bleed is part of a national trauma initiative to train first responders and the public on how to control bleeding in the event of an accident or injury and to improve the injured patient’s chance of survival.

“Our staff got hands-on practice putting on a tourniquet, and we received 200 individual kits to keep in our classrooms,” Cleaver said.

The kits, equipped with items including tourniquets and bleeding control dressings, complement traditional first aid supplies.

Palmerton

It was a colorful start at Parkside and S.S. Palmer Elementary in Palmerton Area School District.

Principal Mary Brumbach said students were welcomed back at both schools with the second annual “Chalk the Walk.”

PTO parents and several teachers came out Sunday afternoon to draw/color words of wisdom and inspiration on the sidewalks leading into Palmer and Parkside.

“This is such a wonderful way to greet the students on the first day and it is always so iffy as it is definitely weather dependent, but so far we are two for two,” Brumbach said. “Our first day at both schools went extremely well, and I think that the children were more than ready to come back to school this year.”

Both schools’ theme this year is “The Courage of a Lion.”

“We are emphasizing that the students and our staff have the courage to do the right thing, the courage to be kind, the courage to make good choices and the courage to make a difference,” Brumbach said.

Panther Valley

Panther Valley Elementary principal Robert Palazzo said the first day was a huge success. An open house last week allowed students to meet their teachers in advance, helping them feel more comfortable on the first day.

On Monday, all 500 students were in their classrooms by 8:40 a.m. — only five minutes later than a regular day.

He thanked teachers and faculty for their work preparing for the school year.

“They created such an amazing space for student learning,” Palazzo said.

He also thanked family and community members for following routines and procedures to help make things run smoothly in the morning.

“We look forward to a productive and exciting 2019-2020 school year,” he said.

Pleasant Valley

The first day of school went smoothly for the Pleasant Valley School District.

“Overall the first day of school was excellent,” said Superintendent David Piperato. “We had a few minor busing glitches, which is to be expected, but that worked out just fine. They did result in a few delays on the runs in the afternoon, but those issues should be worked out by today or tomorrow at the latest.”

High school Principal Matthew Triolo described some normal first-day issues like students not being able to open their locker or find their classroom. But he said that for the most part everyone was happy to be there.

“It was a fun day,” Triolo said.

“The only challenge I would speak of is the first time our all-day kindergartners ever ate lunch, and so I’m sure — I wasn’t there — but I’m sure it did present some challenges to the PVE staff and to those kindergartners,” Piperato joked. “But I did see some pictures and it seemed like all were happy.”

One change this year is that the high school is introducing Project Lead the Way courses for the first time, Piperato said.

Tamaqua

Tamaqua Area School District opened Monday with 2,147 students enrolled.

The first day of school is one of my favorite times of the year. Students and faculty get to begin with a clean slate,” Tamaqua Area High School Principal Thomas McCabe said.

“The energy that the students and faculty bring during the first day remind me of why I am so fortunate to work at Tamaqua Area High School. If this year’s first day is an indication of what the rest of the year will be like, it will be the best year I have had in education.”

Twenty buses are transporting the students.

Chris Reber, Jarrad Hedes, Justin Carlucci and Aspen Smith contributed to this article.