It?s saying goodbye that?s sometimes difficult.
Leaving a child at school on their first day can be daunting for parents and children. The school bell rang signalling the start of a brand new school year and eleven pupils walked quietly into the playground and sat down in a straight line. Among them were four new entrants looking slightly bewildered but rather more in control than their parents and caregivers standing on the sidelines to give support and encouragement and possibly reluctant to say goodbye. Alexandra Jacobs, 5, would have liked to have worn an outfit like they do in High School Musical for her first day at school but instead she wore a pink top with matching pink and white shoes. Although Alexandra visited Normandale School three times last year, to prepare her for one of life?s most significant milestones, she was a still little overwhelmed by the experience. Alexandra?s parents, Marcel Jacobs and Carolyn Arthur, arrived at room three in good time to help their daughter settle down but when asked by the Petone Herald if she was excited the five-year-old could only nod her head and cling to dad. ?She?s still slightly overwhelmed,? Mr Jacobs said. Her parents expect she may get a little tired after her longer days at school and were happy that she would be able to make local friends and receive more structured and focussed learning. Mrs Silcock, form teacher for new entrants, helped Alexandra find a book and had a little chat before her first assembly. Later, the four new entrants met with principal Anne-Marie Gordon and choose a book to keep as a reminder of their first day at school. Throughout the first week older students would be filming and editing special moments during the lives of the new students and the DVD would be given to the child as a keepsake.
