Back to School in Dearborn Rings of New Challenges, High Hopes

When the big doors swung open at on Outer Drive around 7 a.m. Wednesday, a jam-packed intersection was just the beginning of what promises to be an interesting year.

“My goal is to pass my classes,” said Sonia Abdallah, a 16-year-old senior experiencing back to school for the last time. “It does make me a little sad that this is my last year (at school).”

Fatme Taleb, 17, also a senior, echoed Abdallah’s sentiments as they caught up with friends before the bell rang.

“I’m hoping to do well in my classes,” she said.

Though seeing friends and persevering through difficult coursework was on the minds of students, for Dearborn High Principal Charles Baughman, the focus was on getting students into the right courses and making sure the logistics of the first day of school moved forward without a hitch.

"They're seeing friends they haven't seen, and there's hope they're going to be successful, because they're starting with a clean slate," he said of the excitement of the first week of school. "We're here to make sure they still want to learn, that they'll still be successful a few months from now."

Incoming ninth-graders also received a little help from volunteer upperclassmen, who offered to show the 420 newcomers where their classrooms, the gym and the lunchroom are inside the large facility as an effort to prevent ribbing–good-natured or not–that freshman sometimes face.

“It's a big transition,” Baughman said.

At , incoming sixth-graders were treated to a rally and pep talk through the school's "Where Everybody Belongs" program to set them on the path for a good year.

"You're going to be looking at things brand new to you that you've never experienced before," counselor Marilyn Gilliland told the school's newest students. "But you'll get it in your own time."

Gilliland, with the help of Kelly Godfrey, physical education teacher, Scott Casebolt, principal, and a slew of helpful eighth-graders, assured students of the successful year that lies ahead while warming them up with some brain and body-bending exercises. From singing songs to a balloon-popping relay, the rally had nervous faces breaking into smiles.

For the district’s youngest students, a variety of activities took place to make sure children are comfortable, especially since some are in school for the first time.

Andrea Awada, the principal of , had parents, teachers and students assembled outside of the school for a short talk and an opportunity to meet their new teachers. She said her goal for all of the students is to make sure they know they’re in a positive environment.

“We want every student to know that they’re in a safe place,” she said. “We also want to let them know what’s expected.”

Over at , students learned who their teacher was on the first day of class.

“I make adjustments right up until the very end,” said Principal Nada Fouani. At Becker, which has about 300 students, about 25 students were new.

“We're focusing on welcoming them and making them happy,” Fouani added.

It wasn't a tough task with the help of Jannie Annie the Clown, who made balloon animals and hats and entertained the school's kindergartners and first-graders on their first day.

Fouani said the most important thing about the first day of school for young students are the emotions–the academics come with time.

“It’s most important to let them know that everyone here cares about them," she said. "And if there’s any problem, they can tell their teacher or come to the office."

"It's challenging, but they get the hang of it very quickly."

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