Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary begins school

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Back-to-school for Urbana elementary kids started with a rainy day on Thursday. However, there were still plenty of smiling faces as they arrived.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School welcomed students and parents for the first day of class, and Principal Michelle Turner was certainly ready for the start of the year.

“I am ready to be back to say, ‘School today!’ to everyone who walks in the door,” she said.

Turner said this year’s theme is “Attendance Matters.”

Co-Teacher Gregg Delgadillo said it’s not just about showing up, but also having a prepared attitude before the PA System comes overhead.

“The first day of classes is all about feeling; how you feel. So, it’s really important,” Delgadillo said. “I’m super excited about today, and that feeling is a feeling that the students will pick up on, and they will feel comfortable.”

The school day started with the students all lined up, and then heading to the gymnasium to find their teachers.

“I want everyone here on the first day so that they can understand the expectations, routines, and then they can model it at the very beginning,” continued Turner.

Starting school work, even on the first day, can be very influential to the students. Teachers said this can have a domino affect that feeds into their success later in their education.

“They’re not ever in a position where they have to catch up or anything, and then they have that confidence,” Delgadillo said. “And so, if they’re more successful when they start school — whatever grade they’re in, and especially when they first starting school — then they’re going to just build that confidence and continue to be more and more successful.”

Monday, August 19, all early childhood through 12th grade students will begin class.

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