Kindergarteners love the new year at Pacelli Elementary School

Published 9:28 am Friday, September 8, 2017

Ben Walski, 5, was pretty specific about what he intended to learn in his Pacelli Elementary kindergarten class this year.

“Back flips,” he said.

Well, he explained on Thursday, he has never learned them before, so why not in kindergarten?

Teacher Kyrie Juenger works on library rules with her students on Thursday, during the first week of classes at Pacelli Elementary School.

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“And I really can’t jump very high either,” he said hopefully. “Those would be good, too.”

Ah, kindergarten, when the world is wide open to you! This year, Elizabeth Kilkus and Kyrie Juenger are their teachers, guiding them to
new vistas.

Michael Sand, 5, said he knew right away why he wanted to learn.

“I want to get good grades,” he said. “I want to learn how to learn stuff,” he said, plainly. “And learn it.”

Kindergarteners Brinley Branchauds, left, and Michael Sand, 5, tell what they think are the best things about kindergarten: Learning and those parties.

The same was true for Aubrey Roehl, also 5, who said she intended to learn a lot, too.

“I want to learn to read so my mom and dad don’t have to read to me and I can read for myself,” she said.

But for Brinley Branchaud, kindergarten came down to the party.

“Kindergarten is about parties,” the 5-year-old explained. “We’re having one later.”

Kindergarten teacher Elizabeth Kilkus leads her kindergarteners to new adventures in their first year of “regular” school.