First day filled with emotion in Fairfield

FAIRFIELD — Students and parents alike were full of emotion Monday on the first day of school in the Fairfield Community School District.

For some parents, it was their first time dropping off their child at school. Yenifer Jimenez Garcia and Juan González dropped off their daughter Sofía for kindergarten at Washington Elementary School. Jimenez said the couple kept their daughter home last year because of the pandemic instead of sending her to preschool, so Monday was her first day of class at Washington school.

“It’s difficult to send her off, but she’s ready,” Jimenez said. “She’s been talking about kindergarten all summer.”

Sofía said she was excited to start school, to meet her teachers, to make new friends, and to show off her new backpack and clothes.

“It’s more emotional for me than for her,” Jimenez joked.

Erica and Jeff Voreis walked their son Adler to his first day of kindergarten. Adler attended preschool last year, had made some friends and was eager to see them again. He said he was looking forward to playing on the playground.

When asked if he was excited to begin the school year, Adler replied, “Yes and no.”

Erica chimed in, “It’s exciting for him but also a little scary.”

Adler attended Mothers’ Day Out Preschool at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fairfield, which is a half-day program. Kindergarten is a full day, which Jeff and Erica said will be an adjustment for their son.

“Welcome to the real world,” they said.

Jeff said the couple had an opportunity to visit Washington Elementary School last week during an open house and get to know the teachers.

Students flocked to the Washington Elementary School cafeteria that morning to eat breakfast: chocolate mini doughnuts, raisins, milk and juice.

Kimberly Stark manages the kitchen at the school, and said it was a lot of work to get everything ready for the school year. She said it was nice to see so many smiling faces “and only a few tears.”

“The kids were really happy to see chocolate doughnuts,” she laughed.

Just like last year, all breakfasts and lunches will be free to students, a program paid for by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Holly Harris, a special education associate at Washington Elementary School, said preparing for the school year was much less stressful than a year ago when the district implemented a mask mandate and hybrid learning where only half the student body was in a school building at a time to reduce the risk of spreading COVID. Both of those policies are gone this year. Whether to wear a mask is up to each student, and all instruction will be conducted face-to-face.

“It’s been a breeze compared to last year,” Harris said about her preparations for the fall. “Everything is back to normal, except for the extra cleaning we’re still doing. Everybody is pitching in to help with that.”