Kids flock to school for first day in Shiloh

Children clutching lunch bags, parents snapping photographs of smiling kids, bells ringing and exclamations of welcome from teachers and staff were observed in the early morning of Tuesday, Aug. 15 marking the first day of the 2017-18 school year at Shiloh Elementary.

New Shiloh Elementary principal Tiana Montgomery said everything went smoothly as planned by administration.

“Parents were excited, students were excited. We’re just glad for a new school year beginning,” she said.

On the top of her list this morning, right in line with safety, Montgomery said, she has been meeting incoming students she hasn’t met yet.

“As I’m going around meeting all the students in the classrooms, they’re all very eager to be here, and they’re ready for a big year of fun and a big year of learning,” Montgomery said.

Five-year-old Alyssa Schneider was brimming with smiles as she stood with her parents in the gymnasium before the first bell rang before. She then migrated to Denise Scagliarini’s kindergarten classroom.

“I’m excited,” Alyssa said.

Scagliarini helped students put away supplies and bags in lockers just outside the classroom just before welcoming her new 21 students to a room full of color posters, stuffed animals and learning tools.

A 20-year tradition of Scagliarini’s is to read “The Kissing Hand for Chester Raccoon,” by Audrey Penn, to the incoming students.

“He is really cool… And it’s all about this little raccoon that has to go to school for the first time ever in kindergarten,” she said.

She went on, “Moms and dads this is for you, too — great story.”

This story was originally published August 17, 2017 at 7:59 AM with the headline "Kids flock to school for first day in Shiloh."