FALLSBURG - Superintendent Dr. Ivan Katz said it best about the re-opening of school on September 8, 2021: “I want to thank everyone - parents, kids, all staff, Rolling V, the Fallsburg PD and anyone else who should be recognized - for making the first three days of school as successful as possible, given a number of challenging circumstances we are working through. Thank you for working with us! Each day will hopefully be an improvement over the day before.”

In this era of the pandemic, Fallsburg is grateful to do things that were once considered “normal” like sending our children off to school. In the Junior/Senior High School (FJSHS), students entered the building into the new security vestibule, where Principal Kyle Roddey and Guidance Counselor Sonja Ferreira greeted them at the front door. After having their temperatures checked, they entered through the lobby doors.

Teachers, staff, custodians, food service personnel were everywhere in the building, High School students went into the cafeteria and Junior High students to the Auditorium to receive their schedules. Students then went to their homerooms to start the school day.

At Benjamin Cosor Elementary School (BCES), the day began about an hour later. Many parents drove and brought their children directly into the building through the gymnasium. These children were greeted, given instruction where to go, and had their temperatures checked. At the front entrance buses dropped off children in grades one through six. Once inside, the students had their temperatures checked, met with several different teachers with laptops, and were escorted by other staff to their classrooms.

One of the busiest areas was the kindergarten wing entrance, where buses dropped off the youngsters into the capable hands of Assistant Principal Dave Viglione. Rolling V Bus drivers and monitors were very careful and assisted the children down the bus steps with BCES staff. Temperatures were taken by staff with portable devices. Kindergarten teachers and aides met students outside the building to help sort out the different classes.

A little after ten o’clock, parents arrived with the morning pre-K class. On the first day, parents met with teacher Mindy Conciatori and aide Jennie Varner. Most kids began playing with toys at their desks. Others played alongside their parents. Ms. Conciatori went from student to student and greeted them warmly. Ms. Varner was doing the same in another part of the classroom. The children and their families seemed totally at ease thanks to the atmosphere created by the staff.

It was evident that staff in BCES and FJSHS were prepared and eager to greet every child and family that entered. The Principals and Assistant Principals deserve high praise. Thank you, Kyle Roddey, Shana Bruestle, Mary Kate Stinehour and Dave Viglione for the good start of school year 2021-2022.