Jackson-Madison County students begin new school year
JACKSON, Tenn. — Many kids got off the bus with backpacks Monday morning excited to begin the new school year.
Rose Hill School Executive Principal Dr. Tiffany Green hopes to send students back to their parents better than when they came in.
“Our first and most important goal is to protect and then educate,” Dr. Green said. “So we’re going to protect our students. We’re going to make sure that they are fed, we’re going to make sure that they are loved. We’re going to make sure that they feel that they are safe here and then we’re going to educate them.”
Teachers say the first day of school is mostly to set procedures and create a structured system for the year. They say its also important to capture the students’ attention with something fun to set the tone for the new school year.
“These kids that they don’t do so well in their regular classes, they look forward to coming to choir or band and they get to work with other kids,” said Rose Hill Chorus Teacher Jared Heldenbrand. “And a lot of them, they’re really not ones that you might peg to speak out in front of a crowd and give a speech, but they’ll be first in line to audition for a solo and to get to experience, you know, the spotlight is not something that they’re used to but something that helps them grow a lot more comfortable with being outspoken and proud of who they are, and proud of something that they can do.”
Plus, teachers and students are excited that this school year is beginning more normal than the past few.
Teachers reflected on what was accomplished during COVID and are now focusing on how they can push the curriculum forward.
“We got to start our ensembles back, we had choir for the first year, band for the first year,” Heldenbrand said. “And so, you know, we got a lot of people in and we were making a lot of good progress, but we really set the stage for what we get to build on this year. Now we have our band, has almost 70 students in it. Our choir has almost, about 55 students in it. And I think this year we’re going to really see them skyrocket as far as what they’re able to do.”
“We are hoping that we’re going to have as normal of a school year as possible, that our students are going to be able to get back to the normalcy of being together,” Dr. Green said. “Competing, learning, enjoying school just like they remembered it prior to COVID.”
Dr. Green says they are “Rose Hill ready,” meaning they are ready to learn, compete in the athletic realm, excel in the arts, and be the best they can be.
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