NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — For the first time since the 2019-2020 school year, the start of this school year looked relatively normal for staff and students.
"It's amazing. It's exciting to see everyone come back to school in what seems like a normal school year," says Hyde Park Elementary School Principal Diane Bianco.
With 510 students in the building and masks optional, Hyde Park's new principal is very optimistic about this school year.
"Staff is excited. They're glad to finally have the students with them all day every day so they catch up on all those skills that they missed for the last couple of years," says Diane Bianco.
For students who need to catch up, there are programs available to help them.
"We spent a lot of time evaluating. We're very fortunate that our school district has many different programs like reading recovery, math, and PEP intervention, so we take the first couple of weeks most importantly building strong relationships with the students. Build a good relationship, a good base, evaluate the students, find out where they're at, and then we provide them with the instruction and any interventions they may need to move them forward," said Diane Bianco.
While it's the first day of school for Hyde Park Elementary's more than five-hundred students, it's also Diane Bianco's first day as principal.
"It's amazing. I feel like I'm on cloud nine. It's year 28, but it feels like day one for me. I couldn't be happier," said Diane Bianco.
With an open house for families and teachers last week, the first day of school drop-offs went smoothly on Tuesday.
"So today the parents dropped the students off outside at the doors. We had staff members that escorted them up to class, so I think they felt good about bringing them back because they already had a little relationship with the teacher," said Diane Bianco.
You will still see some signs of the pandemic inside the school with hand washing and hand sanitizing still highly encouraged throughout the day.
And again, masks are optional and available for anyone who wants to wear them.
"They're glad to come back in and see their friends and be with them all day long and, you know, some of them came in with the mask because they thought that that's how we go to school wearing a mask," said Diane Bianco. "I don't know if it will ever be behind us. I feel like it's always around us, and it just encourages us to be a little more cautious as far as health and safety, so I think we're doing okay."
At Hyde Park Elementary School, grades K through 6 went back on Tuesday and Pre-K starts later this week.