2013-14 school year kicks off at Marcellus Central Schools

Marcellus Central Schools welcomed back students Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013.

Marcellus Central Schools welcomed about 1,966 students back to campus Tuesday for the start of the 2013-14 school year.

Classes began for students in grades one through 12 at K.C. Heffernan Elementary School, C.S. Driver Middle School and Marcellus High School. Meanwhile, KCH’s 93 kindergartners – otherwise known as the Class of 2026 – were invited, along with their parents, to attend an orientation. Their school year begins Wednesday.

The kindergarten orientation included story time (Principal Gary Bissallion read Eric Carle’s classic picture book, “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”), teacher introductions, classroom visits and a 15-minute practice bus ride through the village.

“The No. 1 rule here at KCH is that we will not hurt anyone on the inside or the outside,” Mr. Bissaillon told pupils and their parents. “We’re going to work on that rule every single day we’re at KCH.”

Likewise, students at DMS were reminded about the importance of maintaining an anti-bullying stance, during a special assembly led by school counselor Alan Wing.

Principal Janet O’Mara echoed that message when she welcomed students back during grade-level assemblies in which she explained this year’s dual themes: to provide a “safe and comfortable environment” and to be “dedicated and motivated to succeed.”

“The more tools we give you, the easier it will be to demonstrate good, respectful, non-bullying behavior,” Ms. O’Mara said.

Students at Marcellus High School, meanwhile, will receive reminders about school policies and procedures over the next several days, said Director of Secondary Instruction Deborah Glisson.

Click below to view a slideshow of images snapped during the first day of 2013-14 at all three schools.