OCALA, FL (352today.com) – S-U-C-C-E-S-S! Noun. Defined by Merriam-Webster as “favorable or desired outcome.”
Marion County Public Schools (MCPS) says its students, employees and families are calling the first day of school a “great success.” The first day came and went without any major issues. A release from the district provides more context.
MCPS anticipated record enrollment of 44,487. By day’s end, the number of students in class totaled 39,418 – about 88% of this year’s projected enrollment and 335 fewer than last year’s opening day count.
The overall attendance figure is expected to climb as soon as Tuesday, when all kindergarten students show up together for the first time. The district staggered the start dates for kindergarten for the first three days.
In the cafeterias, MCPS says workers served over 37,000 breakfast and lunch meals to students. All students are eligible for free meals this year. That’s due to a Community Eligibility Provision initiative from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
As for school buses, MCPS says most showed up on time or within the first few minutes of class and reminds parents that transportation delays are a common and expected occurrence during the first days of school. The district’s “Here Come the Bus” app offers real-time tracking of school bus locations so parents can meet students at bus stops with less waiting around.
As of midday, MCPS says the district’s Transportation hotline – 352.671.7050 – fielded 990 phone calls, 25 fewer than the same timeframe last year. This hotline offers help to parents with bus questions and other concerns. It’s staffed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for now. The school system has additional staff helping answer the hotline during the first few days of school.
MCPS says “opening day ran smoothly, including four schools with new principals at the helm, two who are brand new principals.” So whether it’s Merriam-Webster’s definition or the district’s own metrics, the start of the 2023-24 school year in Marion County is considered a “success.”