Excitement on first day of class at Sudbury elementary school

Students across northeastern Ontario are returning to school and kids at one Sudbury elementary school were greeted with a new backpack and some school supplies.

Nervousness and excitement were in the air outside of Queen Elizabeth II Public School on Dell Street in Sudbury's Flour Mill area Tuesday morning as students, parents and staff waited for the bell to ring.

New backpacks donated by Costco Canada line the hallways waiting for students at Queen Elizabeth II Public School on the first day back to school. Sept. 6/22 (Chelsea Papineau/CTV Northern Ontario)

Inside, the hallway was lined with colourful, new backpacks donated by Costco Canada for each of the approximately 175 students.

While many students arrived with a backpack, one parent told CTV News it is nice to have a new one, as their daughter went through two the previous year.

The students CTV News spoke to eagerly showed off their accessories.

Students at a Sudbury elementary school got new backpacks on the first day of school. Sept. 6/22 (Chelsea Papineau/CTV Northern Ontario)

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT?

Noah, a Grade 4 student, said he is most excited about playing soccer on the field with his friends this school year.

Alexis, Grade 2 student, said she was excited to see some friendly faces.

"I get to meet some new friends and I got to have some old friends," she said.

Two Grade 6 students, Rebecca and Kiya, said they have been friends for quite a long time and both picked the same backpack – a blue and green tie-dyed print -- because they were drawn to the pretty colours.

Rebecca, wearing a pink and white tie-dye outfit, said she has been doing tie-dye since she was little and is working on getting higher grades this year.

Kiya said she is hoping for a better year socially.

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NEW ADMINISTRATION

It is the first year at Queen Elizabeth P.S. for principal Cori Pitre and vice-principal Caity Angeloff, having come from different schools within the Rainbow District School Board.

"Caity and I have lots of plans and so I'm really looking forward to involving the community in what goes on at Queen E, really looking forward to a year we can have parents in the school and being part of the learning environment," Pitre said.

"And really thinking about activities that we can have that will engage kids and make them want to come to school and make them want to learn."

The most important thing on the first day at school, Angeloff said, is creating a safe and welcoming space for students.

VP of Queen Elizabeth P.S., Caity Angeloff, holds bin full of free snacks for students in one of the classrooms as part of the school's student nutrition progarm. Sept. 6/22 (Chelsea Papineau/CTV Northern Ontario)

(The vice-principal holds a bin full of free snacks for students that is in each classroom as a part of the school's student nutrition program.)

With the COVID-19 restrictions relaxed this year, it is the first time some of the students are going to school in person.

"You know what, I would say I woke up this morning, I was very nervous too because it's a new space," Angeloff said.

"Just letting them know they're not alone and everybody's feeling the same way. Because it's something new for some of them."

Pitre said they are hoping it can be a return to some regular activities for kids, co-curricular activities and lots of opportunities to invite the parents into the school.

"It is so very important for parents to be involved. We really want our parents and families to be partners with us so that we can provide them with the academic opportunities here and then we can have that support from home to continue their learning when they leave school and when they're working at home," the principal said.

"Caity and I would be happy to sit down, we met with lots of parents before school started and we'd be happy to take the time to walk them through the school, show them the classrooms and answer any questions that they might have."

The school's open house is on Sept. 15 and Pitre said she is hoping to have "lots of parents come and join us so that we get to meet the families and build those really important relationships."

Adding, she has made a pledge to update the school's Facebook page on a regular basis.