Springfield teachers ready for first day of school

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — It’s the start of a new school year for Springfield students and many districts across the Ozarks as students head back to class.

The first day back can bring jitters but the kindergarten teachers at Sunshine Elementary are ready to get the year started guiding students through brand new experiences.

“Especially for kindergartners, this is a big deal,” said Sherri Eldred, a kindergarten teacher at Sunshine Elementary. “And regardless of if they’ve been in any other program, to come in this room, all these new friends, new staff to navigate new rules, it’s all new.”

Sherri Eldred has been teaching for nine years and she tells me kindergarten is about building a foundation of social skills and routines.

Mrs. Eldred says she wants her students to feel like they belong and get them excited about learning; she is looking forward to showing her students how great school can be and sparking curiosity.

“If I can blow their mind, then I’ve hooked them into this learning thing. Might be okay, right? I could do this instead of play on the slide all day,” Eldred said. “I could probably come in and learn a little bit, you know? So just really, how can I get them to, value curiosity and take that and run with it.”

Mrs. Eldred is one of three Kindergarten teachers at Sunshine Elementary, and one of her teammates is Kari Lee.

Mrs. Lee has been teaching for six years and she tells me kindergarten is about setting students up for success. Lee says she is looking forward to connecting with her students and helping them learn in a way that works for each child.

“Just being patient communication, building relationships with our families and with our students,” Lee said. “And you can’t expect every student to learn the exact same way, and so that’s okay. But it’s finding what’s going to help them learn best. So that’s what I found, is grace and patience and working together as a team.”

Mrs. Lee said she is looking forward to incorporating play into her teaching and connecting with the students.

“Getting to know the kids, building relationships and just creating a fun learning environment and making them lifelong learners,” Lee said. “I’m really excited to build those relationships with the kids in the family.”

Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Eldred say they are looking forward to a great year ahead and seeing the incredible progress students make throughout the year.

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