First day of school in Posen is like no other

by Peter Jakey–Managing Editor

Posen Consolidated Schools superintendent/principal Michelle Wesner is going to need a lot of batteries for her handheld thermometer. 

For every morning going forward, Wesner plans to be in front of the main entrance to check the temperatures of the secondary students before the doors open for the day.  

“(The students) are supposed to check at home,” she said, as three students from the same family lined up in front of her to get a temperature reading. “Life gets in the way of things. As adults, we know that. We’ve been going to work and having our temperatures taken for months.” No worries on the batteries, she purchased them in bulk online.

The superintendent, who had the handheld thermometer in one hand and a box of new masks in the other, moved from student-to-student to check temperatures. This could only happen at a small school like Posen and it is unclear if she was able to get a reading from every student before the doors opened on day one.

“It’s different,” said board of education president Ken Wozniak, who decided to come out for the first morning. “At least they are back in school, in my mind.”

Approximately 33 students opted out and will be taking online classes.

“Actually, a lot of them are elementary,” said Wesner. “Maybe 10 are senior/junior high.”

Overall, “I think it went great,” said Wesner, after everyone went into the building. “Looked like everybody was ready to be back.”

Students have not attended in-person classes in Posen since March 13 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Over at the elementary entrance, it looked like a typical first morning with kindergartner Troy Brege turning away from the doors of the building and looking for his mother, tears streaming down his check.

“He’s a little nervous about the new building,” said

his mother Megan Brege, kneeling down to wipe away tears. She held his hand and got him back in the right direction.  “Big brother is across the hall if he needs it.”

A few yards away, life with the pandemic was playing out as third-grade teacher Mary Lightner had her entire class on the sidewalk, instructing the students on proper spacing, before marching to the classroom.

Strange and weird as it may have felt, a first day of school in September is a first day. It’s a closer step toward normalcy. 

Rogers City Area Schools start Tuesday, the day after Labor Day. Onaway has been in session since, Aug. 25.