Students enjoy welcome back ceremony

With school set to begin Tuesday, students and families of Fort Belvoir Elementary School attended the annual Welcome Back Celebration Saturday.

Children were treated to numerous activities throughout the event, including a moon bounce obstacle course, a water slide, face painting, music, nail painting and balloon sculptures.

A Fort Belvoir fire engine was also at the event for the children's entertainment.

Parents gathered information on FBES' Parent Teacher Organization, picked up their preordered school supplies and supply lists and socialized with school administrators, teachers and other parents.

"Parents said this was a wonderful idea because it gives the new students the opportunity to break the ice and meet some students who will be attending the school," Gwen Jefferson, FBES parent liaison said. "It is especially helpful for kindergarteners because they can see their school and hopefully if will eliminate any fear they have of coming to school for the first time."

Parent Stephanie Daniels took advantage of the opportunity and picked up the school supplies she purchased last year through the SchoolKidz USA program.

SchoolKidz USA partners with Staples to provide school supply kits for children at discount prices. Parents could purchase their custom kits at the end of last school year.

"I am really glad that I could pick up his school supplies, because it keeps me from having to go to the store, search for all the items and then buy them," Daniels said.

Daniels brought her son Anthony, a second-grader, and she said he was really enjoying the activities at the event.

"He spent at least a half-hour going through the obstacle course over and over," Daniels said, as Anthony inspected the inside of the fire engine. "I think he was very happy to come back and get reacquainted with his friends he hasn't seen since the end of the school year.

"This event really allows to kids to get excited about the school year," Daniels said.

Pamela Soto attended the event with her son, Xavier, an incoming first-grader.

Soto said the event is really helpful in preparing her son for the upcoming school year.

"He was so excited to come up here," Soto said. "This event is great because it provides him with an opportunity to catch up with his classmates and friends from last school year.
"It helps to ease some of the anxiety for him that comes with starting school in a new class and that eases the anxiety for me, as well," Soto said.