When Monday morning
’s school bells rang the death toll for summer vacation
throughout Morgan Hill, some students trudged back to the classroom
with a heavy heart, while others embraced another school year with
excitement and anticipation. Tears and smiles alike were shared by
students and parents, as approximately 8
,000 students in the Morgan Hill School District began another
school year.
When Monday morning’s school bells rang the death toll for summer vacation throughout Morgan Hill, some students trudged back to the classroom with a heavy heart, while others embraced another school year with excitement and anticipation.
Tears and smiles alike were shared by students and parents, as approximately 8,000 students in the Morgan Hill School District began another school year.
Enrollment is lower than projected, which is not good news for the district, according to Superintendent Alan Nishino. A large chunk of district funding comes from ADA, or average daily attendance funds, which is more than $5,000 per student.
“The numbers are very preliminary,” Nishino said. “We still don’t have numbers from all the schools, and the numbers won’t be firm until after Labor Day. Some families are still on vacation. Some people continue their summer vacation until after Labor Day.”
But funding was not on the minds of parents, students and teachers today, as new classes of kindergartners experienced school for the first time, seventh graders braved the middle schools and ninth graders invaded the high schools for the second year in a row – following a 25-year absence from local high schools.
“I’m really pleased,” Rich Knapp, principal of Sobrato High said, summing up the first day at his school. “I think things went smoothly. I went into every classroom, kids were well-behaved and on task, teachers were presenting and going through the policies with the kids. I’m very impressed with both the staff and the kids.”
But he did notice a change from last year, when Sobrato only housed freshman and sophomore students.
“Things did go better than anticipated, but I’ll tell you, there’s a difference between 1,100 kids and 700 kids,” he said. “Having the junior class, and now a new class of freshmen, it’s an impact, even on things like traffic.”
Britton Middle School Principal Russom Mesfun also described his opening day as “smooth.”
“Everyone seemed quite excited to be here,” he said. “The students are glad to be back meeting with their friends, they like the middle school set-up, changing classes. They are very nice, they always keep saying ‘Hi’ to me, waving as I walk around campus.”
Nishino said the positive feeling was felt throughout the district.
“I spent the day visiting campuses, Live Oak, Barrett, Jackson and Paradise Valley,” he said. “The ones I visited ran very smoothly. I couldn’t get to every classroom at Live Oak and Barrett, but I’ll be going back. It was great to see the smiling faces of the kids, when I asked them how things were going. They were so enthusiastic.”
Britton teacher Susan Paulson, who is new to the school this year, said she felt the students’ enthusiasm.
“My eighth graders, they came in with a good feeling, glad to be at the ‘top’ of the school heap,” she said. “There was a little bit of them sizing me up, to see how I was going to be, to see what they could do, but after the first 10 minutes, they realize they can’t eat me alive.”
Jonathan Burnham, a freshman at Sobrato, said his first day was okay, just about how he expected it would be.
“It was the same kind of thing as when you were a seventh grader,” he said. “I wasn’t around sophomores or juniors that much in my classes, and at lunch and brunch, we just found friends.”
Britton parent Veronica said her seventh grade daughter, Kenya, was “very nervous” about starting her first year in middle school.
“But this school is wonderful, and I think she’s going to have a great year,” Veronica said.
The chance to have a great year is also beginning for other students in Morgan Hill, as some private schools in the area are gearing up for class and others already hitting the books.
St. Catherine School, which serves kindergarten through eighth grade students, opened for the new school year Aug. 22. With the new year comes a new principal, Fabienne Esparza, who started at the school Aug. 1.
“What impresses me is the amount of resources put into our middle school program so our students will get the attention they need,” Esparza said Monday. “We have a math and science specialist, we offer a full year of high school algebra for those who are ready for it. What also impresses me is that all of our students get regular computer classes, regular music, and K-8 has Spanish, which is something you don’t find at many schools.”
There are 309 students enrolled at St. Catherine for this year, Esparza said, the largest enrollment in the school’s history. A Back-to-School night will be held tonight for elementary students and Wednesday night for its middle school students.
Shadow Mountain Baptist School students returned to school Monday. Enrollment at the school is higher than last year, with 104 Kindergarten through sixth grade students. There are still spots available in some grade levels.
The school will debut its “Grandparents Day” program this year, as students invite their grandparents to the school Sept. 13 at 10:30am.
Another private school with increased enrollment this year is Carden Academy. The school will open Sept. 6 with 110 students on its “Junior Kinder” through eighth grade campus. Average class size is 12 students, though the younger grades have more students.
There will be new stage curtains for the two major productions the school puts on each year, plus new floors in the bathrooms when students return next week.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or at
md****@mo*************.ninth
graders invaded the high schools for the second year in a row – following a 25-year absence from local high schools.
“I’m really pleased,” Rich Knapp, principal of Sobrato High said, summing up the first day at his school. “I think things went smoothly. I went into every classroom, kids were well-behaved and on task, teachers were presenting and going through the policies with the kids. I’m very impressed with both the staff and the kids.”
But he did notice a change from last year, when Sobrato only housed freshmen and sophomore students.
“Things did go better than anticipated, but I’ll tell you, there’s a difference between 1,100 kids and 700 kids,” he said. “Having the junior class, and now a new class of freshmen, it’s an impact, even on things like traffic.”
Britton Middle School Principal Russom Mesfun also described his opening day as “smooth.”
“Everyone seemed quite excited to be here,” he said. “The students are glad to be back meeting with their friends, they like the middle school set-up, changing classes. They are very nice, they always keep saying ‘Hi’ to me, waving as I walk around campus.”
Nishino said the positive feeling was felt throughout the district.
“I spent the day visiting campuses, Live Oak, Barrett, Jackson and Paradise Valley,” he said. “The ones I visited ran very smoothly. I couldn’t get to every classroom at Live Oak and Barrett, but I’ll be going back. It was great to see the smiling faces of the kids, when I asked them how things were going. They were so enthusiastic.”
Britton teacher Susan Paulson, who is new to the school this year, said she felt the students’ enthusiasm.
“My eighth graders, they came in with a good feeling, glad to be at the ‘top’ of the school heap,” she said. “There was a little bit of them sizing me up, to see how I was going to be, to see what they could do, but after the first 10 minutes, they realize they can’t eat me alive.”
Jonathan Burnham, a freshman at Sobrato, said his first day was okay, just about how he expected it would be.
“It was the same kind of thing as when you were a seventh grader,” he said. “I wasn’t around sophomores or juniors that much in my classes, and at lunch and brunch, we just found friends.”
Britton parent Veronica, who didn’t want to give her last name, said her seventh grade daughter, Kenya, was “very nervous” about starting her first year in middle school.
“But this school is wonderful, and I think she’s going to have a great year,” Veronica said.
The chance to have a great year is also beginning for other students in Morgan Hill, as some private schools in the area are gearing up for class and others already hitting the books.
St. Catherine School, which serves kindergarten through eighth grade students, opened for the new school year Aug. 22. With the new year comes a new principal, Fabienne Esparza, who started at the school Aug. 1.
“What impresses me is the amount of resources put into our middle school program so our students will get the attention they need,” Esparza said Monday. “We have a math and science specialist, we offer a full year of high school algebra for those who are ready for it. What also impresses me is that all of our students get regular computer classes, regular music, and K-8 has Spanish, which is something you don’t find at many schools.”
There are 309 students enrolled at St. Catherine for this year, Esparza said, the largest enrollment in the school’s history. A Back-to-School night will be held tonight for elementary students and Wednesday night for its middle school students.
Shadow Mountain Baptist School students returned to school Monday. Enrollment at the school is higher than last year, with 104 kindergarten through sixth grade students. There are still spots available in some grade levels.
The school will debut its “Grandparents Day” program this year, as students invite their grandparents to the school Sept. 13 at 10:30am.
Another private school with increased enrollment this year is Carden Academy. The school will open Sept. 6 with 110 students on its “Junior Kinder” through eighth grade campus. Average class size is 12 students, though the younger grades have more students.
There will be new stage curtains for the two major productions the school puts on each year, plus new floors in the bathrooms when students return next week.
