First day at Rosewood Elementary
By Brandon Davis and Joey Pitchford
Published in News on August 29, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/SETH COMBS
Keane Trent Trombley, left, stands with his 6-year-old son Keane Alexander Trombley during the first day of the new school year at Rosewood Elementary School this morning.
No matter what emotion students, parents, teachers or the principal experience, it is the first day of a brand new school year.
And at Rosewood Elementary School, the emotions varied throughout the entire school today from the long line of parents outside to teachers directing students inside.
Keane Trent Trombley stood with his son, Keane Alexander Trombley, as they waited for the school doors to open at 7:20 a.m. Keane, 6, said he felt "good" about meeting other students and showing off his Pokémon book bag.
Trombley felt relaxed as well since his two other children graduated from Rosewood Elementary.
"It doesn't feel too bad once you get used to it," he said. "Having children, you have them so basically that is what your responsibility is."
Diana Holland on the other hand felt "tearful," she said. Mrs. Holland said leaving her two daughters, Bella Holland, 8, and Mady Holland, 6, brought tears because summer's gone and school is beginning.
Bella and Mady were not tearful as they couldn't wait to talk with friends in class -- even though they are not supposed to do that.
"I hope I don't clip down," Bella said, who explained clipping down means you are in trouble for talking in class. "Usually we talk about what we are going to do outside. We sneak talk."
As the students and parents waited patiently outside, physical education teacher Meaghan Cunningham stood excited as she greeted students on their first day and hers as well.
She said she taught at Charles B. Aycock and Norwayne, but said today was her first day at Rosewood Elementary.
"I'm not nervous, I'm just excited," she said. "When I first started teaching, I would've been nervous. Now I'm excited to start something new and meet the kids."
"We're excited, the kids are excited," Rosewood's principal Charlie Smith said, who has been at the school for five years. "We see them when they are kindergarten and by the time they are in the fifth grade, they change so much. It's just interesting to watch.
Excitement resonated throughout the halls of Tommy's Road Elementary School as well.
"It's just the most awesome school in eastern North Carolina!"
With a statement like that, who wouldn't be excited? Tameka Allen, the new principal at Tommy's Road Elementary, definitely is. Her excitement mirrored the feeling throughout the school, as kids scurried to their new classes and craned their necks to look for old friends.
Myla Barden is the mother of two Tommy's Road students, second-grader Asante and kindergartner Ajani.
She said that having the two of them there together would be reassuring, especially with Ajani coming into the school for the first time.
"With (Ajani) being new, having his big brother there to show him the ropes and teach him everything will be a comfort," she said.
Big brother Asante was excited to be back at school, where he could reconnect with his friends. He said he enjoyed being at Tommy's Road because it is a big school.
While Ajani might not have old friends to meet up with, he wasn't about to let that deter him. He was excited about going to school with his older brother and was ready to make new friends.
Third-grader Sally Ann Mitchell felt the same way.
"I'm excited to see my friends," she said. "I'm excited to learn new things."
Her mother, Donna Mitchell, said that Sally Ann was excited to see her teachers and her principal, who she'd always been fond of.
Ms. Allen is looking forward to continuing the school's STEM program, which has blossomed in recent years, and to forming a connection with parents.