West Essex Middle School Hosts Open House

The smell of new school supplies and the feeling of anticipation and excitement for the new school year was in the air as West Essex Middle School seventh graders and new students toured the school at an open house on August 30. The morning was a big hit with parents and students. Students bought supplies from a school store open house, purchased West Essex clothing, found their lockers and walked the hallways finding their homerooms and classrooms.

"It's so big," said Ryan Murphy of the middle school. Ryan, a new seventh grader from Fairfield, and his mom Mary Murphy practiced opening in his locker and started loading it with supplies to get ready for next week.

The guidance department was also open. Secretary Melissa Coco assisted students and parents with schedules and other issues.

Assistant Principal Lisa Tamburri showed mom Karen Turano how to log on to Genesis with her Smartphone. Principal David Montgomery helped parents and students find their way around the school. You could feel the excitement for the 2012-13 school year.

A frustrated Julia Schmulewitz of North Caldwell sighed in frustration as she tried to open her locker. Her mother Bari was so good at opening her locker that she started helping other students in the hallway open their lockers too. "Mom, can't you just come to school with me every day and open my locker?" Julia asked her mom.

"It's just right, left, right," Bari Schmulewitz told her daughter as she helped a boy a few lockers away.

The Malloy family of Roseland walked all over the middle school with new seventh grader Kevin. Mom Ann Malloy and little brother Matthew, 10, were up for it, but little sister Elizabeth, age 1 1/2, found the tour exhausting and rubbed her eyes repeatedly. It is time for a nap!