A new year starts at Thurston

Before the first period bell rang Tuesday morning, marking a new

school year for Laguna Beach Unified School District, Principal

Joanne Culverhouse, Assistant Principal Jenny Salberg and staff

welcomed students to Thurston Middle School.

Assistant Superintendent Steven Keller was on hand to welcome

students. He said he was going to visit all the schools to check in

on the first day of classes.

He said it’s quite a different experience for new sixth-graders to

be moving into the middle-school atmosphere.

“They are used to being self-contained,” Keller said. “Now they

will be moving six periods. Six hours every day -- what a significant

transition.”

There was a buzz of excitement in the air as students, decked out

in the latest Laguna fashions, flooded the campus, seeking out their

friends and trying to make it to class on time.

At Jason Babiar’s sixth-grade zero-period class, the teacher

sympathized with the incoming youngsters.

“I know you have a lot to deal with,” Babiar said. “My kids are my

kids -- I don’t have any, so my kids are at Thurston. If you have any

problems, you can talk to me, and if I don’t have an answer, I will

find someone who can.

“My best advice: Don’t be afraid to ask questions.”

After the bell rang to start first period, students scrambled to

class. Excitement could be heard in their voices, along with some

nervous laughter, as they made their way to a new destination.

“Welcome all new and returning students. It’s going to be a great

year at Thurston,” Culverhouse announced over the intercom.

When sixth-graders talked about the first day of classes, some

during first period and others after school, they said the experience

seemed positive.

“It’s kind of scary. I slept pretty well but was nervous to go to

bed,” Prestin Obradovich, 11, said. “My mom dropped me off. El Morro

was a lot quicker. I live in Emerald Bay and had to drive awhile to

get here.”

He said he had seen six of his friends by the start of first

period.

“I don’t really know kids from Top of the World,” Prestin said. “I

hope to meet some new friends. I think we’re all going to be friends.

“I think the hardest thing about sixth grade will be remembering

my homework,” Prestin said.

Evan Steinhoff, 12, said he was happy to start school, not

nervous. He likes the idea of having different teachers and

classrooms.

“It’s been good so far, but I’m looking forward to lunch,” Evan

said. “The first day is kind of boring. You don’t get work. It’s

pretty exciting because you get to go to a new school, meet new

friends and get to see my old friends.”

Lauren Montgomery, 11, said her first day of school was “awesome.”

“It was really good to be with principal Culverhouse again and to

also be greeted by assistant principal Mrs. Salberg,” Lauren said. “I

was really excited; I wanted to get to class earlier.”

She said the little bit of nervousness she felt calmed down after

her zero-period class.

“Having an extra class is fun; it prepares you well and gets you

ready for school,” Lauren said. “I like all my teachers; they’re

really fun and not too strict.”

Lauren said her sister who attends school in Louisiana was

nervous.

“I feel bad for the people that can’t go to school there, all the

sixth-graders waiting to go to school,” Lauren said. “Maybe we can

start a fundraiser -- Laguna schools to Louisiana schools.”

She likes that she has seven classes instead of one.

“It’s awesome to get all this education for free,” Lauren said.

“We have to keep it that way.”

She said she saw a lot of her friends, and all the students were

nice and friendly. Since Lauren attended El Morro and Top of the

World at different times, she said she knows a lot of peers at

Thurston.

“I didn’t feel intimidated, but some of the people were so tall I

thought, wow, you don’t go to this school, you look like you should

be in college.”

Not having recess didn’t faze her.

“I like that we get a break to eat,” Lauren said. “It gives us

time to refresh our brains for the next class.”

Nicolas Leighton, 11, said he was looking forward to the next day

to see what they would be working on.

“It was pretty much what I thought it would be like,” Nicolas

said. “I love to have six different teachers. They cover more stuff

than just having one main teacher.”

Bryce Blanton, 11, was worried he would have a problem going from

class to class, but the first day went well.

“I didn’t have a hassle,” Bryce said. “It feels a lot different,

though. It made the day go by a lot faster not being in one room.”