Separating was difficult for Nicola and Ni’Yah Harris when Ni’Yah began pre-K last year. 

For weeks, Nicola followed the school bus to the Early Learning Center to see and reassure Ni’Yah before entering the building.

Thursday morning, Nicola again met Ni’Yah when she exited the bus – but only to take a photo of her smiling child on her first day of kindergarten.

“She was very excited to come back to school. I said, ‘What? You’re not going to miss me and Gram Gram?’” Nicola said through a laugh. “She wants to meet her friends and her new teachers.”

Thursday was a day of new beginnings and opportunities for students around the Poughkeepsie City School District. Though some tears were shed – mostly from a handful of parents at the Early Learning Center dropping off their child for a first day of school – there were many more smiling faces eager to start a new year.

School principals held welcome presentations for incoming students to ease the transition, and members of the district’s administrative staff will be inside each school this week to provide added assistance. Dr. Eric Jay Rosser, superintendent of schools, also toured each school building, with some members of the Board of Education, as well as Mayor Yvonne Flowers and state Sen. Rob Rolison joining for portions of the series of visits.

At Poughkeepsie High School, several students commented on the improvements made over the summer, such as the new digital clocks in the hallways of every school building – they’re in each classroom of the high and middle schools, as well – and the new appearance of the cafeteria. 

Just inside the main entrance of the high school, tables were set up where students could pick up a printed version of their class schedules, which were previously sent out digitally. Incoming ninth grade students were directed to the auditorium to begin the day with an orientation session, where they were issued Yondr pouches to lock away cell phones. Both the high and middle schools this year are utilizing the pouches to prevent distractions through the course of the school day.

Imani Smith sat in the front row of the auditorium eager to start her high school experience.

“I’m nervous,” she admitted, “but I think I’ll be fine. I’m honestly excited for the work and the different experience. I know it’s going to be different from the middle school. So, I’m going to just try to keep my grades up and just do good.”

Behind her, Davion Millington said he was likewise “excited” to begin high school, as it’s the beginning of “plenty of opportunities ahead in my life.”

He said he was most anticipating his Living Environment course this year. Outside the classroom, he expects to start at running back for the Pioneers varsity football team when it hosts Wallkill to kick off the season Friday night.

“I’ve played since I was 6,” he said of possible pressure leading into his first game, “it’s natural for me, to be honest.”

As Rosser and board members toured the various schools, they made special effort to stop in on dual language classes, as well as math sessions for fifth graders at Warring. Rosser pointed out to Flowers preliminary 2023-24 3-5 NYSED State Assessment data for fifth-grade students indicate the percentage of Warring students proficient in math surpassed the state average by 6%.

Rosser, Flowers and Board Member Bob Creedon also took time out of the tour at Clinton Elementary School with Principal Dr. David Scott to reminisce about playing Hopscotch and Four Square as kids, while walking through the building’s renovated gymnasium and playground area.

Scott sat his new first graders down in the cafeteria to review the basics – while also appealing to what the kids may have been most interested in.

“Your teachers are going to show you how to line up for your lunch, where to sit and how to eat,” he explained. “That’s going to help make sure you’re getting through the line quickly, have a good meal and have time for recess. Recess; every day we go outside. Every single day. Everybody like that?”

Before they could get to the sidewalk outside their house, Tamara Sprow stopped her son and nephew. They needed to get to Poughkeepsie Middle School for their first day of eighth grade. But before that, she needed to take their picture, as she does every year, and as she did with her daughter before she left for Krieger Elementary.

Not just for students and teachers, the first day of school is important to parents, too.

“Getting back to school and getting back focused on education is good,” Sprow said, after snapping her photo and sending the kids on their way. “Learning with friends is better than learning alone.”