Night alarm fails to disrupt school openings in Latgale

A night alarm did not disrupt first-day-of-school celebrations in Latvia’s Latgale region, LSM reports. Schools across the country welcomed 19,000 first-graders on September 1, while other pupils, their parents, teachers and students also began a new academic year.

Viļāni Secondary School in Rēzekne municipality welcomed 48 first-graders, the largest number among the municipality’s educational institutions. State President Edgars Rinkēvičs attended ceremonies at the school and at the newly merged Ludza Secondary School, wishing students and teachers patience and endurance for the new school year.

Viļāni school welcomes 48 first-graders

At Viļāni Secondary School, 30 12th-grade pupils accompanied the first-graders into the school. Principal Ilze Valeniece said this was a large number.

The older pupils spoke of warm emotions, the chance to meet classmates again and the excitement of their final school year. Some said they were considering careers in medicine, languages, mathematics and programming.

Augusts, who is starting first grade, said he liked telling people things he knew but they did not yet know.

This year, 12 pupils have entered the 10th grade at the school. The school community said it was pleased that each of them had chosen to continue their education after completing basic school.

School hires new mathematics teacher

Valeniece said the school year was also special because there were no staffing problems among teachers. The school hired a new mathematics teacher for the secondary-school classes after its existing staff could no longer manage the chosen study programmes with available resources.

She said the main goals for the year were to keep the school community together, maintain respectful relationships and remember that pupils gain more than knowledge at school.