Area students return to classroom

By John Peters
Editor

Littleton area elementary school students, and their families, got a chance to check out what is in store for them at McIver Elementary School last week, just days before school got under way Monday.

The school sponsored an open house Friday, and many of the students who started school there Monday took advantage of it.

Throughout the day, students and their parents met with teachers and toured the school.

Dajia Faulcon, 8, who started third grade Monday, was in the school’s media center Friday with her sister, Davetta Faulcon. She was checking out the school’s computers.

“I’m ready for school to start,” she said with a smile before quickly turning back to the computer.

Krystal Kearney, a 10-year-old fifth grader who is moving to Littleton from Rocky Mount, was on hand checking out her new school.

She and her mother, Juana Price, were there, discussing what she will need by way of supplies with her teacher, Audrey Battle.

Those two were among the 162 students who were on hand for the opening Monday.

Dottie Umstead, the school’s principal, said she expects another 14 or so to filter in over the coming days, and she was pleased with the first day of classes.

“Everything went well,” she said. The day started with a brief assembly at 8:15, then the students went off to breakfast and class.

“Everyone was in their classrooms by 9,” she said. Normally, classes start at 8:30, but the first day opening activities delayed things just a bit.

Most of the students, she said, were glad to be back.

“I think we got off to a good start today, things went very smoothly. The teachers worked together, everybody went where they were supposed to, it all came together.”

Getting the school year off to a smooth start seems to be old hat for the crew at McIver.

Principal Umstead, in her second year at the school, has an experienced staff on hand, with not a single new teacher this year.

“This staff has been together for some time,” she said, with the only new faces two teacher assistants who have transferred from other schools in the county. The school has 10 teachers, as well as seven teacher assistants who have been preparing for school since Aug. 20.