School year kicks off in county
System expecting record enrollment of 83,000 for new academic year
Students gathered outside the blue doors of Waugh Chapel Elementary on Tuesday morning, some embracing friends tightly before the first bell rang. Parents were giving goodbye kisses, teachers were giving directions.
Schools across Anne Arundel County opened this week with a record number of students — 83,000 — expected to attend this year.
The new year started Tuesday for students in grades one through six and grade nine; remaining middle and high schoolers started Wednesday, while kindergarten, pre-kindergarten and early childhood intervention classes began on a staggered schedule.
While expected high temperatures caused schools in other counties to postpone the start of classes, all schools in Anne Arundel County opened as planned, according to spokesman Bob Mosier. Ten schools in Baltimore County were closed and more than 60 schools in the city of Baltimore let students out early.
Anne Arundel schools did issue a code orange alert on the afternoon of opening day. Code orange is put into effect when the heat index is between 100 to 104 degrees. Any outdoor athletic events scheduled prior to 6 p.m. were either postponed or moved to start at 6 p.m. or later.
At Waugh Chapel, as fifth-graders gathered in front of the school’s sign, Gov. Larry Hogan was taking photos with students and parents.
“Is fifth grade going to be different than fourth grade?” Hogan asked students. “You guys are big time now, right?”
Waugh Chapel celebrated its 50th anniversary last school year, and the governor was invited to the celebration but didn’t attend. Aide Kyle McColgan said his staff kept that invitation in mind, and selected the 600-student school in Odenton for the governor’s first-day visit.
The governor was joined at Waugh Chapel by state Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon, County Executive Steve Schuh, county schools Superintendent George Arlotto and members of the county Board of Education.
Fourth-grader Nadia Nelson and second-grader Rylee Nelson stopped with their family on the way into school to get a photo with the governor. Nadia knew what she was excited for about the new school year — everything.
“Computer, art, music, I love it all,” she said.
Once the bell rang and students went to their classes, Hogan went to the school’s library and helped deliver the morning announcements via video. Once the governor left, other officials toured the school.
Principal Cheryl Cox said the school was happy Hogan picked them for the visit. And, of course, she said her staff is ready for the school year.
“We believe at Waugh Chapel that every year is a fresh start and we have a new community that we’re building, and new teachers to build relationships with,” she said. “Once that relationship is made, the academics will soar.”
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