The 2024-2025 school year began Wednesday for Delaware City Schools teachers and students.

At Carlisle Elementary School, Wednesday was not only the first day for students, but also the first day for new Principal Julie Stewart, who joined the district over the summer to replace Paula Vertikoff.

Stewart said Wednesday afternoon the day had been “the best first day ever!”

“It has been absolutely amazing,” she said. “It’s just great to see the students. They are so excited. It’s just been a great experience. I made the best decision coming here. It’s just so wonderful. The staff is amazing, and it’s such a family climate and culture.”

Stewart said a focus for the school this year is building unity by promoting “our school, our team, our kids” as a saying.

Wednesday was also the first day for Adrianah Melvin, a career opportunities teacher at Hayes High School. Melvin is a graduate of the Hayes Class of 2020 and said she’s happy to return to her alma mater as a teacher.

“It’s been great,” Melvin said. “Everyone has been so welcoming. It feels great to be back at Hayes. It feels like I never left.”

Melvin said her recent graduation has helped her relate to her students, and she’s been able to help them see the value of what they learn in high school and how that will prepare them for careers.

“It’s good to have her back,” said Principal Rex Reeder Wednesday afternoon.

Reeder added career opportunities and getting students jobs after graduation is a key focus at the school this year.

“We are looking at (career) pathways,” he said. “Fifty-five percent of our students go to college. We need to help students get out and be more productive (to help them) get certificates and get jobs after high school.

Reeder said the school’s goal is to help students get professional certificates during their time at Hayes to help them get a job right after graduation.

“I think the key is we should have all these opportunities,” he said. “I want our community partners more involved.”

Reeder said another focus at Hayes is attendance.

“Twenty-seven percent of our students were chronically absent last year,” he said. “That hurt our scores and hurt us academically. Our classrooms are doing very well, the kids that are here are scoring very high, but the problem is when we’re not here. We’re going to really try and engage those students.”

Reeder added the school is having a “soft start” to the state’s new ban on cell phones in academic areas and said students will be warned and reminded of the ban this week before it is fully enforced next week.

Additionally, Reeder said the school has changed how Pacer Period works and said it still operates as normal Monday through Thursday, but on Friday, it has been altered to a time for students to get more academic support, work with teachers one-on-one or retake tests.

“We’ve got to get better academically,” Reeder said. “Our vision for Hayes is excellence. (That means focusing on) every kid, every day.”

Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903.