Students around the Jericho School District returned to their classrooms on Wednesday morning, Sept. 1. Clear blue skies, billowy white clouds, bright sunshine and pleasant temperatures set the perfect stage for a flawless opening day. Backpacks filled with supplies, tentative smiles, and yes, even a few tears were all part of this annual tradition.

Jericho Superintendent of Schools Hank Grishman visited classrooms in each and every building with Board President Hilari Cohen, and trustees Ira Checkla and Joseph Lorintz. "Our first day of classes went off without a hitch, thanks to the enormous efforts of our staff," remarked Grishman. "Our entire organization works tirelessly over the summer to prepare for the return of students in September. As always, the results of their hard work are clearly apparent on opening day."

The FLEX (Foreign Language Exploratory) Program in each of the district's elementary schools continues to evolve. An exciting series of interactive lessons in Chinese, French, Italian, Latin, and Spanish provide kindergarten students with an initial experience in World Languages throughout the year. Youngsters in grades one through five participate in expanded language studies. This year, the multicultural component of the program will be enhanced. Lessons will include increased integration of customs and family routines found in different cultures, folklore and multicultural literature. It is hoped that these lessons will help youngsters to better understand and accept diversity and become increasingly tolerant.

The initiation of an elementary peer mediation program last year proved to be very successful. Thirty-six current fifth grade students will begin formal peer mediation training in the near future. The "Peaceful Playgrounds" Program, which was initiated district-wide last year, will be continued as a result of its positive impact on student interactions during recess periods. The elementary schools will also begin to explore a new social emotional literacy program on varied grade levels across the district during the year.

The Jericho Middle School "Voices of Love and Freedom" Program will be expanded to include new social emotional literature selections this year. A team of faculty and administrators from the middle school will be presenting workshops to New York State colleagues that highlight the connections between social emotional literacy programs and academic excellence. Seventh grade teams have increased the coordination of lessons with the technology department. This simultaneous instructional practice is designed to better reinforce concepts and themes.

A new counselor has joined the guidance department and additional faculty members have been welcomed to the teaching staff at Jericho High School. The expanded number of staff members is necessary to accommodate the increasing student enrollment while maintaining the high school's outstanding academic program.

Supplementary faculty training is provided annually to strengthen the quality of Jericho's instructional program. This year, district-wide staff development will focus on improving strategies and techniques to enhance differentiated instruction and social emotional literacy across the grade levels.