It seems like just yesterday students and teachers were sharing end-of-school-year hugs. Yet another year of school begins as the pitter patter of feet is heard through the halls of schools once again.

As most schools do, St. Joseph School in Downers Grove provided a Field Day outing, giving students a good start to summer. But as students went off to enjoy the warm summer days and vacations with family, school maintenance staff and teachers began the tasks of upgrading and sprucing up the school.

"We've made some visual upgrades," said St. Joseph principal, Rita Stasi. "Those most obvious will be our new flooring at our main entrance, and several additional classrooms will enjoy new Smart Boards installed over the summer months." These interactive boards are becoming popular in classrooms as teachers can blend the power of a computer directly into their daily lesson plans.

"Several teachers spent part of their summer break taking seminars and classes as they prepared for this new technology," Stasi added.

Preparing new families for their new school was another undertaking by several at St. Joseph.

"Our first grade teacher, Jane Krueger offers an annual late-summer tour of the school facilities," said Stasi. Krueger knows this helps bring comfort to students as their first day approaches. This also gives her a chance to meet some of her own newcomers while providing this service.

Maritere D'Alessio and daughter, Bianca were a part of Krueger's tour. It turned out that Bianca learned not only about her school but about her new teacher, too. “Bianca was a little nervous on her first day, but once she got there she felt comfortable because she had been on the tour with her new teacher,” said D'Alessio. Krueger wasn't the only one preparing new families for the school's start at St. Joseph.

Bianca and her family were also able to meet new friends prior to school through the school’s buddy program. Principal Stasi explained that Parent Forum provides a Buddy program to help in these transitions. School families volunteer to help new families adjust. Parent, Kristi Fera and her family were pared up with Bianca and her family. They shared their time by phone, but also invited Bianca and her family to a pool party where many school families had gathered.

“These things have really helped us in the transition," said D'Alessio. Bianca admittedly was still nervous on her first day, but she found her first day a little easier already knowing her teacher and some of her classmates. D'Alessio was happy for her daughter. "Once her first day was through, she came home very excited. She loves first grade!”