Lawrence Brook School Rocks the First Day

The Thursday morning weather may have been dreary, but excitement filled the air as students, parents, and teachers gathered for the first day of school at Lawrence Brook Elementary School.

As they arrived to school in buses, cars, or by foot, students were greeted warmly by faculty and staff before heading off to meet their homerooms.

Leading the welcoming effort was Christine Raymond who returns for her 10th year as principal at Lawrence Brook.

"I'm looking for my children to have another successful year. I think the teachers are excellent here in East Brunswick and particularly here in Lawrence Brook, and we just do wonderful things to help them be successful in their academic and social growth," said Raymond.

With the help of the PTA, she invited parents into the school's media center for some "Kleenex and Coffee." The event was an opportunity for parents to socialize and—for parents of little ones—to sympathize after sending their children off to school after summer vacation.

East Brunswick Councilwoman Denise Contrino was among the parents at the event. Her daughter is now in fifth grade.

"She couldn't wait to get here. She loves Lawrence Brook," said Catrino. "The teachers are awesome, the aids are great. Everybody who works here, she's very comfortable with."

A general consensus seems to be that the older children get, the less likely they are to hold on to parents on their first day. Contrino spoke with Marlene Vasquez whose daughter, a first-grader, was excited but nervous to return.

Meanwhile, Willy Gonzalez is a concerned father. His daughter was sick at home and had to miss the first day. A dedicated room parent, Gonzalez came to school in the morning to help out the rest of the class.

The only first day tears that Patch observed were those of a pre-K student who was taking in her new surroundings. For the most part, however, students and parents greeted the return to school with smiles. 

As schools open this year, the state's new anti-bullying law has been a hot topic. Raymond said that earlier in the summer, administrators  had an in-service day about the new law, and the district had a meeting with teachers yesterday about the law. 

Raymond wants to put the emphasis on making good decisions and learning from mistakes.

"I am going to be meeting with all my students today, talking about school rules, my expectations, and how they will treat one another, which is something we've always been doing," said Raymond.

Back to school night will be held on Monday Sept. 12 for Pre-school, fourth and fifth grade and Wednesday Sept. 14 for Kindergarten through third grade. Raymond plans to review some important changes made this year to the electronic report cards.

"I've really been blessed in my nine years here at Lawrence Brook. I have wonderful teachers and the new teachers I've hired have also been wonderful," said Raymond. She says she has four new teachers and 18 part-time instructional aides.

Raymond also said the school's theme for this year is "Lawrence Brook Rocks."

"And we're going to rock through the school year," she said with a smile.

Raymond invites parents to email her at craymond@ebnet.org if they need an immediate answer to a question or to call the main office.

By 9:30 a.m., students had read the Pledge of Allegience over the loud speaker, classroom introductions were underway, and the hallways were quiet. The 2011-2012 school year at Lawrence Brook had begun officially.