Kenmore, NY (WBEN) - Many school districts across Western New York are looking to get a jump on the school year, beginning classes Wednesday.
Ken-Ton schools are preparing to welcome back students for the first time in nearly a year and a half.
"For some of those kids like incoming 8th graders, they've never been in this building," said Kenmore Teachers Association President Peter Stuhlmiller. "Our 8th grade students were in for small group tours, see the cafeteria, and find out where their lockers are so when they come in they feel more acclimated."
Ken-Ton is joined by Jamestown, Grand Island, Salamanca, and Lackawanna school districts among those opening on Wednesday.
Stuhlmiller said the mask mandate will be addressed and they intend to model it in a positive mindset.
"We're kind of worried about addressing the needs in a positive way without coming across as punitive, because that's the last thing students need. We want to model in a positive way the behavior we want to see students display in class."
Stuhlmiller says religious reasons are behind their early start to the school year.
"To honor the number the number of students and parents who observe Rosh Hashana, which falls immediately after Labor Day," said Stuhlmiller. "We didn't want the students or staff to have to feel guilty about observing a high holiday and miss the first day so the district felt if we could bring kids back before the Labor Day holiday, then we could preserve Rosh Hashana for those who need to observe that day." Stuhlmiller says this was aimed to avoid a disruption with kids coming and going.
