EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – The Back-to-School bells are ringing Monday morning for some students in the metro east.

East St. Louis District 189 is the first public school district in the bi-state region to return to class.

Classes at Lincoln Middle School begin at 8 am. There is a welcome-back sign in front of the school to greet students as they arrive to start the new school year.

Teachers and other staff members were here making final preparations Friday for the first day of school.

Lincoln Middle School is just off South 10th Street in East St. Louis. There are currently 363 students in 6th through 8th grade attending school there.

Principal Carlynda Coleman says the theme for Lincoln Middle School this year is leveling up. Coleman says school leaders want to increase the overall learning experience for students as they navigate their way through middle school.

“Our theme this year is leveling up. So we want to, number one, increase the rigor in the classroom for the students to make it a more challenging learning environment, Coleman said. “We wanna level up with the state designation, and of course we want to increase our attendance. So we are 363 projected to come in, but of course we want more.”

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Coleman also said the staff is excited for the start of another school year. She is encouraging parents to be involved in their kids education, saying parents are an important piece to a successful school year.

Students should start arriving to warm welcomes from staff members and cheerleaders around 7:15 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.

More Illinois districts start later this week, with many Missouri districts in our area starting next week.

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