First day smooth for most Beaufort County schools, district says
Despite strong opposition from parents about closing Shell Point Elementary, the first day of the school's last year was "upbeat and positive," said Principal Mary Ellen Parks.
Monday was the first day of school for most Beaufort County public school students, and although a bittersweet mood reigned at Shell Point, the day's operations went smoothly, district officials said.
The county Board of Education voted Aug. 5 to close Shell Point after this school year.
On Monday afternoon, Parks said parent-teacher organization members rallied around teachers and staff.
"I can say the year is going to be full of little moments -- little electric shocks," she said. "It's sad. Even though PTO members have been very upset, they've just really come through for us. It's about the students -- that's what matters."
Under the new plan, many of Shell Point's students and teachers will move to Broad River Elementary starting in Fall 2012. In turn, some of Broad River's students could be moved to Beaufort or Shanklin elementary schools, and some Shanklin students might be shifted to Whale Branch Elementary.
Shell Point counselor Mary Fisk said teachers were sad to see their "family" split up. But she added that most students would deal well with the redistricting.
"Some teachers here have been working together for a really long time," Fisk said. "It's losing that sense of family that's hard. But being negative won't help anything."
But the shifts have angered some parents who say Shell Point's size is one of its greatest assets.
Amy Painton, whose daughter is a first-grader at Shell Point and was recently diagnosed with autism, said the move will be tough for her.
"She needs a small school," Painton said. "But the options are limited. I'm considering private school, but I shouldn't have to have that as my only option."
Painton said she hopes the community will rally around parents' proposals to establish a charter school in place of the shuttering school.
"I feel like the school district's spending habits put us in a tough predicament, and the students are the ones who have to pay for it," she said.
In other parts of the county, the start of classes and afternoon dismissal went by without any major problems. The smooth start contrasts with last year, when back-to-school week was plagued by bus-routing issues, Superintendent Valerie Truesdale said.
"Last year was bumpy for buses," she said. "Today, everything was very quiet. I went to eight schools, and everyone was very energized."
Last August, she said, a new bus company and routes in new attendance zones caused the biggest problems, and a domino effect was felt at other schools.
Truesdale said some students were held up at the start of classes because parents had not yet provided the required proof of residency. In July, the district announced that all students, even those already enrolled, would have to update their residency information each school year.
"Some folks who had been waiting until today sat and filled the forms out," Truesdale said. "But we had enough forms, and most everyone was where they needed to be."
Related content
- School board votes to close Shell Point Elementary next year, Aug. 6, 2011
- Shell Point charter-school effort faces long climb, Aug. 12, 2011
- Board's vote on partial closures lost in shuffle of Shell Point debate, Aug. 8, 2011
- District says students must prove residency each year, July 4, 2011
- School district issues apology for bus problems, sets plans to improve service, Aug. 20, 2010
This story was originally published August 15, 2011 at 9:18 PM with the headline "First day smooth for most Beaufort County schools, district says."