St. Edmond ushers in new school year
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Cambrie Stucky, 3, of Fort Dodge, walks down the hall to her preschool class on Wednesday at St. Edmond Catholic School.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Teddy Coleman, 5, of Fort Dodge, arranges his locker before school starts on Wednesday at St. Edmond Catholic School.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Pictured from left: Artemis Banks, 6; Harper Banks, 8; and Isaac Banks, 10, of Fort Dodge, pose for a photos Wednesday before their first day of school at St. Edmond Catholic School.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Students practice writing their letters during the first day of school on Wednesday at St. Edmond Catholic School. In front from left are Mila Doster, 7, and Jude Zach, 7. In back are Ollie Conell, 7, and Axton Stanley, 7.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Addison Laufersweiler, 6, of Fort Dodge gives her mother Lindsay Laufersweiler a hug before the first day of School on Wednesday at St. Edmond Catholic School.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Cambrie Stucky, 3, of Fort Dodge, walks down the hall to her preschool class on Wednesday at St. Edmond Catholic School.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Teddy Coleman, 5, of Fort Dodge, arranges his locker before school starts on Wednesday at St. Edmond Catholic School.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Pictured from left: Artemis Banks, 6; Harper Banks, 8; and Isaac Banks, 10, of Fort Dodge, pose for a photos Wednesday before their first day of school at St. Edmond Catholic School.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Students practice writing their letters during the first day of school on Wednesday at St. Edmond Catholic School. In front from left are Mila Doster, 7, and Jude Zach, 7. In back are Ollie Conell, 7, and Axton Stanley, 7.
-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla <br> Addison Laufersweiler, 6, of Fort Dodge gives her mother Lindsay Laufersweiler a hug before the first day of School on Wednesday at St. Edmond Catholic School.
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St. Edmond Catholic School joined many other area schools in welcoming students back to the classroom for the first day of school on Wednesday.
"I get excited every first day of school," said Principal Tabitha Acree. "The kids come in and they're just so excited to see their teachers and friends and you can't help but get excited, too."
This year, St. Edmond has 12 new staff members, Acree said.
"That energy carries to everyone else, too," she said.
Preston Derrig, the new high school social studies teacher, actually started his education at St. Edmond and will even run into his preschool teacher, Margaret Junkman, once in a while.
St. Edmond students and staff were also very thankful for their building's air conditioning with Wednesday's heat index peaking above 105 degrees, Acree said. The Fort Dodge public schools had to release early because a building had some problems with its A/C, but St. Edmond was able to keep students in class for the whole day.
Acree is in her third year as principal at St. Edmond. Prior to that, she spent six years as principal at Riverside Early Learning Center for the Fort Dodge Community School District, though St. Edmond was always home. Acree spent 10 years as the middle school and high school counselor at St. Edmond.
With school starting again, Acree said she enjoys seeing the older students who she had worked with the first time she was at St. Edmond and being able to follow their "continuum of growth."
The focus of this school year's religious curriculum, Acree said, will be charity.
"It's part of our Virtues in Practice to grow our faith," she said. "We aim to provide a holistic education -- not just academic, physical, social, but also their spiritual nourishment."