AMORY, Miss. (WTVA) --It's the first day of school for first graders in Mrs. Leslie Valsamakis class.
"I noticed a couple of things. There are few that are very nervous they are stepping up from kindergarten and we no longer have naps. Then they are excited about being in a new grade and at a new school year," said Valsamakis.
Deandre Blair was excited to meet his new teacher.
Maggie Glenn was all smiles too, but for a different reason.
"Because of my new friends," Glenn said.
But for Jaylin Hellams his jitters almost got the best of him.
"I thought we were about to take a test," Hellams said.
For long time teacher Leslie Valsamakis the jitters that come with the first day of school are gone. But she's an expert on helping her kiddos cope with the feelings of the day, so she opens with a story about jitters.
"The story talks about jitters and going to school but it was actually the teacher who was nervous," said Valsamakis.
This story made way for a discussion about jitters. She was able to give the 1st graders comfort to start the new year.
Principal David Millender peeked into the classrooms to offer comfort as well. With record high enrollment, this school year is already off to big start.
"We have 520 students -that includes 40 in our pre-k program and right at 480 at K-2- that is the largest enrollment we've ever had at West Amory Elementary school," said Millender.
Millender said thanks to the assistance from the Gilmore Foundation, the school has 4 new classrooms almost complete to help with space.
