By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News

As the first quarter rapidly approaches its midway point, teachers and students alike are fully engaged in the educational process. At Sally Mauro Elementary, this process is facilitated by several engaging activities that help keep students motivated and enthusiastic about learning.

Principal Blake Allen joined the KOAL newsroom for this week’s school district update to discuss the start of the school year, academic goals for the school and what fun lies ahead for students.

“The start of the year has been going well. No complaints. It’s been super busy with getting all the beginning-of-the-year testing and all that stuff done with the students,” shared Allen. “And then also the students just getting back in the hang of things and going back to school.”

Looking at the academic side of things, Allen explained the goals the school had set out for the year,” Some of our school goals are, we’re looking at reading, and we’re also looking at math. We’re looking for students to grow, to progress, and to gain a better understanding in all those areas. So we’re really looking at those areas, reading and math this year at Sally Mauro.”

He continued,” We have a lot of students who are not on grade level. They are quite a bit behind. Putting them on grade level and getting them to grade level, which is our ultimate goal, but our other goal is to see that growth, to see that improvement throughout the year of getting, reaching toward grade level.”

Looking to the fun side of school, Allen discussed the combination of the Scholastic book fair and Parent Teacher Conferences: “We like to coincide that with the book fair. We get the families to come in. They can go look at all the fun books and all the prizes in there, as well as the teachers to meet with the parents and the students and go over what’s going on at the first of the year, how their students started off the year with testing and stuff like that.”

Coming up the week of Sept. 29, the school will host a ‘Rock the School week’ to help keep students engaged with education. “We have a lot of fun activities planned for the students, as well as the teachers. We’ve asked the teachers to pull in certain activities, certain lessons and stuff like that. Next week is week for the students. The students are the reason why we are here. They’re the reason why I, the teachers, the paraprofessionals, our secretary, the lunch ladies are here.”

Continued the principal,” We’re going to make it a fun, filled week with activities for them. Every day, we either have somebody, a group of people, welcoming the students to the school, and then we’re going to end the week with a big rock concert.”

Speaking from a principal’s perspective, Allen shared what has been the most exciting part of the new year,” The fun part for me is the students are back. Like during the summer when we’re getting ready and preparing, students aren’t here. The excitement’s not here. Now the students are back, this excitement’s here. I think getting the beginning of the year testing done, seeing where the students are and seeing where we can take them, I think that’s exciting as well.”

Closing our conversation, Allen gave a word of thanks to all those who help the school run: “I just want to thank every staff member at Sally Mauro. They’re the ones that make the school. They’re the ones who run the school. I’m basically the face of the school. They’re the ones who are putting in the hard work. They’re the ones that are in the trenches. They’re the ones who are pushing the students. And so I want to thank every person who is part of Sally Mauro and helping with that process.”

For more information on upcoming events at Sally Mauro Elementary, visit the school’s website or Facebook page.