Starting Well, Together
Summer has ended, the alarms have been reset, and the school year is officially underway. But knowing the class schedule doesn't fully answer the lingering questions running through YISS students’ minds: Who will I sit with at lunch? Is my teacher nice? And the questions running through parents’ minds: Will my child feel like they belong?
Those questions are normal, and this year's back-to-school programs were built with them in mind.
While teachers spent their time preparing their classrooms and lessons, families had their own on-ramp, too. New Family Orientation and Open Houses paired practical know-how with real chances to connect, so everyone could walk into the year with more confidence.
On the first day of school at Boohoo Breakfast, the youngest learners at YISS (and their parents) didn't have to hide the tears that sometimes come with a Kindergartner walking through the doors for the first time. Those feelings belonged here, too.
"I was excited (and admittedly a little nervous) for my daughter to start Kindergarten at YISS this year. Those nerves quickly disappeared as I watched the elementary staff, especially the Kindergarten teachers and assistants, make the transition from the Boohoo Breakfast to the classroom feel so smooth and reassuring. That evening, my daughter told me she had a great day and couldn't wait to go back. As a parent, I couldn't have been happier with our YISS experience."
YISS Kindergarten Parent
Starting well isn’t just about being ready on paper. It’s also about preparing holistically for a new phase of life, and that's not easy to do alone. It's why YISS shows up for families from day one, in the classroom and in the community.
“As we begin this new school year, I'm inspired by Colossians 3:23 to work with gratitude, serve with joy, and remember that whatever we do, do it wholeheartedly as unto the Lord. I'm excited and thankful for the privilege of teaching, learning, serving, and seeing our students grow this year.”
YISS HS teacher
The schoolwide theme for this year, “For Such a Time as This,” reminds us that every person in the YISS community is here for a purpose. Our hope is that together we will make the most of the opportunities this year brings and find purpose in this season we share.
