Teachers excited to welcome students back to class
SALTILLO, MISS. (WCBI) – The third grade hall was quiet at Saltillo Elementary, but Emilie Hutcheson was busy making last minute touch ups to her decorations inside her classroom.
‘My theme is the outdoors, I am a Girl Scout, I love camping, love the outdoors, learn best in the outdoors, thought it would be good for my students,” Hutcheson said.
Hutcheson is returning to teaching after a fifteen year absence and says she is ready to be back in the classroom.
‘My family recently brought in a new family member, a new daughter, felt like I needed a different schedule, will have same schedule as my children, summers off, I really enjoyed teaching when I did it the first time, so I felt the need to get back,” Hutcheson said.
She will join a staff of about sixty at Saltillo Elementary, which will have six hundred or so third through fifth graders.
This is Tabitha Russell’s 21st year in the classroom, and it has all been at Saltillo Elementary , in the third grade.
Russell teaches math and science and says there have been a lot of changes over the past two decades, especially when it comes to promoting critical thinking.
‘From the time I began teaching until now it has come a long way, just simple computation isn’t the focus now, the focus now is problem solving, going deeper and finding out why things are the way they are,” Russell said.
Saltillo Elementary will have a new principal. Casey Dye served as principal of the high school for seven years, and says he is looking forward to stepping into the head Tiger Role at the elementary.
Principal Dye says even after thirty years in public education, the first day of school is still exciting.
“We had a kid the other night at open house say he was nervous and excited, they called it ‘nexcited’, and I think that is the best description so far, so if you don’t feel that way there is something wrong with you, in my opinion,” Dye said.
The principal says he wants to make sure students and teachers know they are valued and appreciated.
‘Every day for the last ten years, wherever I have been, I tell my teachers and kids, that if no one else has told them this morning, or this day, that we love them, we love them and are proud of them and we will have a great year,” Dye said.
Saltillo Tigers will be back in class for the new school year Monday morning.
In Mississippi, public schools are required to have at least 180 days of classes every year. Also, officials remind motorists to be alert for school buses as classes start back.
