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San Ysidro News

The first day of school doesn't just happen; quite a cast makes it so

By Tim Allen, Superintendent, San Ysidro School District

August 26, 2004

Each August or September, we open the newspaper to see an article on the "first day of school." Usually, the article talks about a particular school and its students and what occurs on that day.

What most people are unaware of is the incredible preparation and planning that take place in order to have a successful "first day of school" and school year.

Superintendent Tim Allen

As a school district superintendent, I have the opportunity to go behind the scenes to see the flurry of activity, to feel the excitement, and to hear the conversations of the school district staff as they prepare for that "first day of school" for the students we serve. This story is repeated in some form in each school district – the content may change, but the effort, energy and commitment are the same.

So, what does it take?

For the San Ysidro School District, as in other districts, it begins in the summer with custodians readying each classroom and preparing it for the new school year. Meanwhile, teachers attend workshops in order to refine skills and learn new instructional approaches. Other district staff are busy ordering supplies to ensure that teachers will have what they need.

As the "first day" gets closer, some teachers, who are still on their unpaid vacation, begin to visit their classrooms in order to begin setting up. Some even meet in their homes to make plans and to share ideas.

In San Ysidro, we have a special way of beginning our official school year with all of our staff. Three work days before that momentous first day, we all meet for a day to kick off the year and to spend time on learning some new aspect of our instructional program. Members of the Board of Education and the administrative staff are present to show staff the importance they place on their work.

I am continually impressed with this group of professionals who are upbeat and who are interested in how this year will be better than the last. As we meet to present the changes designed to improve this year's program, teachers engage in discussions that critically examine how their planning will incorporate the new information. For most of the day, teachers work collaboratively with each other and with school administration in order to plan not just for day one but for the entire school year.

In the following days (including the weekend!) before the "first day of school," teachers and school site administrators meet and work for hours and hours to prepare the school and classrooms. Office staff finish class lists and register students. Teachers put the final touches on their classrooms, deciding how they can rearrange their rooms to be even more effective this school year.

In our district, this preparation was especially intense this year at Ocean View Hills School where the temporary buildings were moved during the summer in order to accommodate the construction of the new school. District maintenance and technology staff worked feverishly to get the temporary school prepared so that teachers would be able to set up their classrooms in time for the opening. Teachers had just four days, including the weekend, to set up their rooms!

Then, after all of the preparation and planning, and as the "first day of school" begins, buses, cafeteria and other services kick into action. At the school, the energy level is high as parents and students find their new classes and meet their teachers. The process is planned to be as smooth as possible, but there are always challenges that require the best of problem solving.

Hours later, it is time for parents to ask, "How was your first day of school?"

I have the privilege of working with people who want to do what most of us consider the most important job of all.

We work to affect positively the lives of children. From the financial clerk to the bus driver, from the cafeteria worker to the classroom teacher, we all have a role in creating an environment where students will have an excellent "first day of school" and school year.