A new school year begins

The children arrived promptly for school at 8 AM. At 10 AM, there was a festive ceremony for the incoming first grade children, all in new primary school T shirts and special headbands, and their parents. The sixth grade class welcomed the first graders with words and song; Neama, the new principal, told parents and children that school would be a place to feel safe and welcome, and two members of the parents’ committee spoke.

In everyone’s minds were the continuing Coronavirus crisis and the confusion surrounding the new health regulations. Currently, parents must do home tests (through a kit that they receive) on their children every three days and report to the school if a child tests positive. Adding to the difficulties at the start of this school year is the fact that the Jewish high holidays come early this year, meaning that, for the Jewish children, during the month of September there are only a few days of school. The Palestinian children, on the other hand, will continue and have many uninational days.

Despite these challenges, the children were enormously happy to get back to school and renew acquaintances with friends that they haven’t seen for two months. Children and teachers alike are beginning the year with eagerness and enthusiasm.

This year, the primary school will have 284 children altogether. Entering first grade are 42 children (in two classes). Every year has two full classes except fourth grade, in which two classes needed to be combined. The balance among the children is 56% Palestinian, 44% Jewish; this year we have fifty nine children are from WAS-NS and the rest come to the school from 18 separate communities in the vicinity.

In the pre-school levels, there are 13 children in the nursery and 34 children in the kindergarten.

Let’s hope for a happy, healthy and peaceful school year: The kids really deserve it.