BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Behind every first day of school are school staffers working hard to create the perfect learning environment.
In just a few days, kids will run through their school doors to find their classes, stuff their cubbies and meet tablemates. But before the magical first day of school are weeks of meticulous and passionate planning.
Third-grade teacher Dolly Ligouri has ushered in 28 first days of school at Rick Marcotte Central School.
“I love that day. It’s so exciting. They come in with smiling faces. Some of them are a little nervous and a little tentative and shy at first, but that’s a happy day,” said Ligouri.
Liguori just got the keys to her classroom and has a week or so to get everything in place.
“It’s going to take a lot of prep and a lot of time to unpack, get everything organized, learn the curriculum, and then be ready to teach it,” she said.
Down the hall, fourth-grade teacher Emma Niiler is knee-deep in textbooks and furniture. She’s teaching in a new classroom this year, a clean slate that needs some structure.
“There’s a lot of kind of standing and looking around like, ‘Where can I put this? Where can I put that?’ I’m excited to start to get everything in its new place and find the best setup for what works for me and what will work for my kids,” said Niiler.
Liguori says cultivating a safe space that inspires learning is top of the list for teachers, especially those educating a younger crowd.
“In elementary, they spend most of their time in this space. So you want it to be a comfortable, homey space for them, away from their own homes with their families,” said Liguori.
Since the pandemic, Liguori has been more intentional about arranging desks to encourage discussion and stave off social isolation.
“It was really important that they had the opportunity to work with other kids and to converse with other kids, and to stop and talk to kids about their learning and their thinking,” she said.
Niiler has her own philosophy. On her summer reading list is a book about designing classrooms to boost students’ confidence and autonomy.
“Kind of make something that my students can be independent and successful with, but then also something that feels authentically like me and my teaching style, as well,” said Niiler.
The clock is ticking toward that first school bell ring. Until then, Niiler and Liguori will spend nearly every waking moment perfecting their spaces.
“Teachers call it the ‘Sunday scaries,’ like Sunday nights or when a lot of teachers have a hard time sleeping because you’re thinking about the week, the curriculum and really the emotional well-being of your students. That’s what’s most important,” said Liguori.
“How can I make this year better than last year? Like, how can you improve a little bit every year,” said Niiler.
With sights set on the welcome back, Niiler and Liguori say to soak up the final days of summer break.