Fun All Around on The Kindergarten Bus Run

  Five-year-old Nathalie had never been on a school bus before and she couldn’t wait for the ride to begin. In a pink jacket and matching sneakers, she danced her way through the Matthew Paterson Elementary School gym, hugging friends she hadn’t seen since preschool, making crafts at tables set up by MPES PTO volunteers and meeting the school’s new principal, Jennifer Darling.

“We are going to have such a great year,” Ms. Darling told the incoming kindergartners and their families. “I’m so excited for all we are going to learn.”

Thursday, August 24 was Kindergarten Play Date evening at the Carmel Central School District’s three elementary schools and the district’s youngest students were getting their first introduction to school life. It was an event intended to help ease the first day of school jitters and, judging by the smiles on the children’s faces, it seemed to be working.

“I like it here,” Nathalie said.

When the big yellow bus pulled up it was time for the main event.  

Interim Superintendent Joe McGrath helped the students onto the bus.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Mr. McGrath said. “We want the children to feel comfortable, and for the families to know that, from day one, we are here for the students.”

Then he stepped onto the bus to join the kids for a short ride around the neighborhood.

“Raise your hands if you know the song ‘The Wheels on the Bus’” Mr. McGrath said. The children’s hands shot up and then they showed – loudly – that they knew all the lyrics to the old favorite.