First-time Bend teachers eager to start

Another school year means new classes, new friends and new experiences for kids, but what does it mean for first time teachers? On Thursday, two elementary school teachers from R.E. Jewell Elementary said they couldn’t be more excited to get started.

For the first time, Sarah Brennan sees her name on the classroom door.

“I’m definitely nervous,” said Brennan. “It’s my first year, so I think that’s pretty normal, but I’m so excited to see all the kids.”

After just finishing her master’s degree, Brennan landed a job teaching first grade. She said it’s a dream she has looked forward to her entire life.

“I always wanted to be a teacher,” said Brennan. “I always tell the story that in the summer, I made my brother play school with me — and he did not like it at all. I used to make him finish his worksheets before he could go out and play in the yard for recess.”

As she carefully laid out the details of the first day of class, she said she believes her role teaching young children is a crucial one.

“I’m really laying a foundation for math, reading, writing and everything,” Brennan said. “So it’s a really important grade, and it’s what all the other teachers are going to build on throughout the other years.”

One of those other teachers is Cindy Dillon, who will be teaching third grade this fall.

“I think third grade is when they start to feel like the big kids,” said Dillon. “They’ve gone through being in the K through 2. And now they’re moving up into third grade.”

After volunteering in several classrooms, Dillon went back to school to get her master’s degree. It took a few years to find the right fit, but she accepted her first full-time teaching job.

“I started working as an educational assistant,and every time I walked into a room I’d go, ‘Oh, I need my own classroom! This is what I’m supposed to do,'” said Dillon.

Now Dillon is proud to have her very own classroom, with her students’ names gracing the desks.

“I just couldn’t wait to get into my classroom and get things set up,” Dillon said. “And last night at the open house, I met almost all of them, and they are just so wonderful. We’re so excited about our new year.”

The first day of classes for the Bend La Pine school district start on Wednesday, Sept. 5.