It’s a school year start strategy first adopted during the Covid pandemic and remains a practice of most area schools as a better way to make the first school day less overwhelming for students and school staffers by spreading school openings over two or more days.
Also starting classes, this week are Hamilton and Lakota Schools, which is the largest district in Butler County with more than 17,000-student enrollment.
Middletown Schools will begin classes on Monday Aug. 18.
Central Elementary’s enrollment of 730 students makes it one of the largest of the Fairfield’s 11 school buildings and well before the first-class bell, many school parents lined up in their cars to drop off their children.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
The reaction of some school parents to the new student cell phone restrictions, which allows them to have mobile phones but cannot access them until before and after the class day, was mostly favorable.
“I think the law is good because it causes less of a distraction so they can focus on their work,” said Central Elementary parent William Buck as he waited with his daughter.
“As long as they can access it if there is a security problem, I’m okay with it,” said Buck.
Fairfield Schools Spokeswoman Gina Gentry-Fletcher said “we haven’t heard a whole lot of complaining about it (new law). For some parents it’s about safety for kids because they want to reach their kids in an emergency.”
“But we are confident that things will work out with this new law and there will be fewer distractions in the classroom. And in past school years the kids have been really good about not having their phones out,” said Gentry-Fletcher.
“The biggest changes for the students will be not being able have them (phones) out during lunch and between classes.”
Caitlyn Creech, mother of three Central Elementary students, said she understands the reasoning behind the new law.
“I like them having the cell phones off but available. I just like them to have it in case of an emergency,” said Creech.
Erica Marcum dropped her daughter for the first day of school and said the new law is welcomed for a number of reasons including making it harder for students to use social media to harass other students.
“I think it’s great. It’s less of a distraction with no video recording and foolishness along with less bullying.”
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