Teachers ready to sharpen pencils and minds

The first day of school has finally arrived.

The signs of the beginning of the school year are evident on the roads of the North Kitsap area today as the infamous yellow school buses make their way to and from schools across the North Kitsap School District.

When summer arrived in the NKSD, the 2007-08 school year seemed eons away for Kingston Middle School band instructor Jeff Haag.

“It came up pretty fast on me. I lost a month of summer because of a surgery I had,” Haag said. “I’m happy school is starting up. We’re making the switch from a junior high to a middle school. I’m looking forward to it.”

Haag said the band program he’s built over the past 12 years at Kingston Junior High will continue to thrive at KMS.

“The quality of the program will continue,” he said. “We’re going to continue to do things the same way we have been doing with them to ensure quality education for our students.”

KMS physical education teacher Jay Devries, who spent much of his vacation fishing, said June, July and August moved along at a rapid clip as usual.

“Summer always seems to go by fast,” he said. “I am looking forward to the school year though. It will be interesting to see the difference of having sixth graders at the school instead of ninth graders.”

Devries said he’s excited about the middle school’s addition of new staff members.

“We have some new teachers who will make a difference,” he said. “I am looking forward to getting back in the gym.”

North Kitsap High School student Tyler Seth is enthusiastic about finally being a senior.

“It’s going to be pretty sweet,” he said. “I finally will graduate at the end of this year. It should be fun. It will be different having freshman at the high school this year.”

Fellow Vikings senior TJ French had a different perspective than his Seth regarding his senior year.

“It is kind of a relief,” he said. “After this year I’ll finally be moving on to college. Being a senior, you have more choices about what kind of classes you take. This year I’ll be able to take a culinary arts class.”

French said he felt like the summer months breezed by.

“It went by way too fast. It felt like I didn’t have much of a summer,” he said. “Between working and playing tennis all summer, I didn’t get much of a chance to hang out with my friends.”

French said he eagerly awaits the first day of school each year.

“It’s going to be cool to see who’s in my classes,” he said. “Every year a new school year brings new experiences.”

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