Starting school is really fun. There are really nice teachers there and everyone treats you fairly.
The library and the librarian are really nice. The playground is great. You can look forward to every day because every day is fun. There are always helpers outside in fluorescent orange vests, so you can go to them if you need help. You may even get to take the school bus which is really fun and the bus drivers are all really nice, I know every one of them and they have really nice personalities and they are very kind. The other thing to look forward to is making new friends or seeing all your friends. After summer vacation, when you're going into a different grade, you can't wait to see all the friends if you haven't seen them over the summer vacation. Even if you're away for a weekend, you can't wait to see them again.
My advice for starting school:
When you get on the bus for the first time, look for one of your friends and get to know your bus driver.
When you get to school, you can ask a person in a fluorescent vest where your classroom is in case you forget.
Ask an older kid to show you around.
If you have questions about school, ask your teacher.
If you don't have any friends, just become friends with one person - then you'll become friends with his or her friends. Soon, you'll have lots of friends.
If there's a problem on the playground, again go to a person in a fluorescent vest and tell them. If there is a problem inside, tell your teacher. If it's lunch time and your teacher is not there, tell your lunch monitor.
I had an idea that maybe one kid from each grade could wear a button for the first week that says "I can help you with Grade" depending on what grade they just finished. That way, they could help you if you had questions about that grade.
Colleen Treleaven is going into Grade 5 at Bowen Island Community School.
