Spartanburg District One students head back to the classroom

INMAN, S.C. (WSPA) — Monday was the start of a new school year for Spartanburg County students.

At New Prospect Elementary School in Inman, school officials said the first day is one of the busiest days of the year. Around 420 students were back to the classroom.

“We are excited to welcome our students back for the first day of school. It was so wonderful this morning to see all the parents and students with smiling faces,” Principal Briana Wright said.

Wright explained that teachers have spent weeks getting ready for the first bell.

“It starts in the summer, preparing the schedules, preparing the class rosters and teachers come in, they are working to make those classrooms inviting, warm and the home away from home for those students for the entire year,” Principal Wright explained.

One of those teachers is second grade educator Courtney Vaughn, who has been teaching at new Prospect for 10 years. Vaughn said every year, she spends the first day getting to know her students.

“A lot of ice breakers where we learn some information about each other,” Vaughn said. “It lets me learn about the children, how they interact with each other, we have a couple new students, so the other students have been really great at accepting them in and learning about them.”

Vaughn added that the relationships formed in the classroom last a lifetime.

“Really building my relationships that will last from now to when they are in 12th grade. Our seniors come back in what we call a ‘graduation walk’ where they come and walk through their elementary school,” Vaughn continued. “It makes us feel like celebrities because the students will run up to us and hug us, they maybe two feet taller than we are now but that just shows we built those relationships that will last a lifetime.”

Principal Wright hopes students are able to discover a love for learning.

“It’s exciting to think about all that will happen, all that students will learn, all that they will experience and all that they will grow,” Wright said.

School officials said that a new theater class was introduced this year, with plans to put on a musical.

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