IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – In Dickinson County, some families of early kindergarteners through eighth-grade kicked off the back-to-school rush with a festive bash.
The young trekkers returned to Bishop Baraga Catholic School to reacquaint themselves, reunite with friends, and reconnect with past teachers.
To celebrate the back-to-school spirit, the school organized an outdoor cookout. The President of the Bishop Baraga Parent Association, responsible for arranging the event, emphasized its role in fostering a family-friendly environment for a smooth transition back to school.
Megan Simms, the President, commented, “The kids can come drop off their school supplies, and meet their teachers. You know there’s always those first-day anxieties, and so this gives them a chance to feel comfortable before they’re walking in on their first day to a new environment. So we just like to have a big kick-off party.”
While enrollment is still open for most grades, pre-K and kindergarten slots are filling up rapidly. The Bishop Baraga trekkers are trekking their way back into the school year on Monday.
“We have a photo booth, which is fun for tonight, get those kids excited for those back-to-school pictures,” Simms shared.
For some students, this event not only introduced them to new classrooms, but also allowed them to greet previous teachers.
“A lot of the older kids like to go and see their past teachers, everybody has that one teacher that just sticks in their mind, and so a lot of those kids’ teachers are here, and they just love to go visit, say hi, and the teachers love to see them as they grow up. And also all the little kids who are future trekkers here, it’s fun for the teachers to get to know them as well,” Simms conveyed, emphasizing the family-friendly atmosphere that Bishop Baraga Catholic School is known for.
The school still has available seats for student enrollment, according to Simms.
“We are still open for enrollment, so if you’re looking for that family-friendly atmosphere, smaller classroom size, more focus, and just that spiritual education of really raising good children with good values, and good morals, we are still enrolling, so our doors are always open,” she relayed. Preschool and pre-k is likely full, so parents will need to check with administrators, but kindergarten through 8th grade is currently open.
