TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Students in the Magic Valley's largest school district are back in class, with some new changes for the school year — including a state-mandated moment of silence.
The new requirement, approved by the Idaho Legislature this spring, took effect on the first day of school at Oregon Trail Elementary in Twin Falls. Students in Mrs. Boyle's fifth grade class began their morning with one minute of silence before reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
Principal Tana Schroeder said the moment of silence gives students a chance to settle in before the school day begins.
"I think it's a great way for the students to be able to start the day and kind of collect their thoughts," Schroeder said.
She added that the new routine builds on practices many teachers already use in their classrooms.
"A lot of our teachers already have this mindfulness, if you will, built into their classrooms; now it's just going to be a brand new purposeful routine that we are providing," Schroeder said.
The first day also brought the usual excitement of students finding their new classrooms, with parents on hand to help with the transition. Melissa Shutman, whose fifth grader attends Oregon Trail and who also works as a para-educator at the school, said the morning got off to an enthusiastic start.
"The first day is very exciting honestly," Shutman said. "He was very excited went in there at 6:45 he was up brush his teeth had breakfast. You know, he was ready to go."
Though you might expect some tears for the end of summer, students seemed excited to go back. Schroeder said that was no surprise.
"No, no they're excited to see us, which I think speaks to my teachers, right? They created this place in the school where our students know that they belong here," Schroeder said.
When asked what mattered most to her on the first day of school, Schroeder reflected on the bigger picture.
"To know that we are building and teaching future citizens is truly one of the best things I think anybody could do and it's one of the most important jobs that we have," Schroeder said.
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