Fremont students return to class

As a summer heat wave moved in, the city's only year-round school resumed session this week.

"They're enjoying their time outside, but they're happy to come back in," Principal Mark VanVoorst said Monday.

School staff ended last year on somewhat shaky ground as district officials considered the possibility of changing the school's calendar to conform with the rest of the district.

VanVoorst said the school opened in a noticeably more content mood after the decision was made to maintain the year-round schedule.

"We've got a lot of very satisfied parents and teachers. Most definitely," he said. "It's nice to know we're going to be on this calendar for the foreseeable future."

John Rupert, 8, was also happy to have maintained the schedule of 45 days in school followed by 15 days of vacation.

"I get three weeks off in hunting season," he said. "I get to spend time with my parents a lot."

He said he and his dad usually hunt elk near Jarbidge during the school's first break. However, his main preoccupation Monday was adjusting to third grade.

"It's gonna be a little more harder because you have to learn more stuff," he said.

Teacher Lori Browning read the students "First-Day Jitters," by Julie Danneberg, then tasked students with assigning an adjective to their name as a way to get to know one another.

Students came up with monikers such as Analytical Annie and Dangerous Destini.

Madison Matthews, 8, dubbed herself Marvelous Madi.

"People say I'm cute with my short haircut," she explained.

VanVoorst said at last count, there were about 590 students registered, compared to around 600 last year.

He said typically the school will get about 20 new enrollments right around Labor Day because some families are still on vacation or are new to the area and are unaware of the schedule.

He is also still trying to fill two positions, a librarian and a special-education teacher.

"That's always a struggle during the summer," he said. "But I'm actively interviewing to find replacements."