Setting the Tone for a Successful School Year

Traveling between schools with other administrative staff Wednesday morning, School Superintendent David Erwin was prepared for anything to go wrong. Buses could run late, school schedules and construction could leave students anxious or confused and parental concerns could lead to long, tiring first days for administrators.

But none of that happened. In fact, the first day for Berlin Public Schools went even smoother than one could ever have hoped for, Erwin said.

“Despite all the potential concerns, what we saw were students that were happy to be back and excited to get the year underway,” Erwin said. “We can only hope the rest of the week goes as smooth as today went.”

At Berlin High School, where construction continues even as students returned, parents and students had a chance earlier in the week to present their concerns, ask questions and get to know the new-look school before the first bell rang.

Parents expressed concerns regarding potential security as workers were on site, but what they saw returning Monday was a separate entrance and complete separation between construction crews and students.

Erwin said students also showed no anxiety, smiling and laughing with one another as they entered the building and found their way to the classrooms.

With the success of the first day – something Erwin said he hopes to see continue throughout the week – the tone has been set for one of the strongest and most efficient school years to date.

“We entered with the hope of giving everyone, from students and parents to the staff themselves, a great first day,” he said. “This sets the tone for the entire year. We are off and running; the year is headed in the right direction.”

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