Students and teachers in Spartanburg District 1 got a preview of what the 2013-2014 school year has in store for

them when they came to register on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Schedules, locker assignments and friends not seen since the last day of school, offered a peek of the upcoming school year.

Students aren’t the only ones excited about a new school year. Teachers across District 1 alternated between assisting with registration and working in their classrooms.

Olena Atkins spent time organizing books for her students. She will be the English as a Second Language (ESOL) teacher at Campobello-Gramling when school begins.

“I’m looking forward to seeing my students. I have worked with ESOL students and Americorps in District 1 over the past few years, but this year I will be exclusively at Campobello-Gramling School,” Atkins said. “Having grown up with Ukrainian as my primary language, I understand the challenge many students face whose first language is not English.

“Children catch on to a new language so quickly and often this new skill is a wonderful asset to their families who are also learning a new language. I love what I do and I know it makes a difference in the lives of my students.”

In just a little over a week the first day of classes will begin (Aug. 19), the memories of summer break will begin to fade and the focus will shift to the student-centered activities taking place in the schools of District One.

Academics, fine arts performances, visual arts displays and athletic events will begin.

The start of a new school year is always an exciting time. New subjects to teach, new friends to make and new experiences will make the 2013-2014 school year one of the best ever in District One.

– article submitted by Paula Brooks