Class is in session for students at Anderson Community Schools.
Approximately 500 students streamed through the doors at Tenth Street Elementary School Wednesday morning to find their lockers before settling into their first classes of the day as the 2026-27 academic year officially began.
Principal DJ Suchocki said he was excited to start another year.
This is Suchocki’s 11th year as the principal at Tenth Street Elementary. As the longest tenured principal in the district, he said families have gained a sense of familiarity with the school.
“Our families need to know they have a trusting base and someone they can rely on,” Suchocki said. “Consistency and trust is important, so being here and having that, and someone they know they can come to, is very important.”
Suchocki said the first three days of the school year “establish the importance of safety and making sure our students are accounted for.” After those protocols are familiarized, the learning process can begin in earnest.
Suchocki said Tenth Street is adopting this year’s ACS mission statement theme of “Choose Your Path” by emphasizing foundations for students to decide their own path for their future.
It was Haley Miller’s first day as a fourth-grade teacher at Tenth Street. She said she’s looking forward to watching her students grow in a variety of ways over the next 10 months.
“(I love) seeing the growth, both academically and personally, in students,” Miller said. “(I love) seeing them grow up to be more mature and more ready for whatever they want to do when they grow up, and being able to see those a-ha moments with them.”
Even though she is fairly new to ACS, Miller said she feels right at home.
“There’s so much more support here at Anderson,” Miller said. “It feels like there’s so much more community, and people really want you to succeed here, which I didn’t see as much (in my previous school).”
Third grade teacher Susan Daoust is going into her 32nd year of teaching, including 15 years at Tenth Street.
“I love meeting all these new faces on the first day, and seeing their smiles and how happy they are to come to school,” Daoust said. “I love my job. It’s the greatest job there is. It’s so rewarding because we get to see them grow all year, and at the end of the year, we can see all the great things they’ve done.”
The 2026-2027 school year will be superintendent Joe Cronk’s last year before retiring. As he prepared for his last first day of school as superintendent, he said this one “is extra special.”
“I always liken this as if you’ve ever been in a play or in band,” Cronk said. “This is opening night. You always get the jitters, you always get the butterflies in your stomach. Even though this is my 37th school year opening, it’s always different and new.”
As the first day came to a close, ACS administrators said bus routes and transportation at the beginning of the year take some time to get adjusted to, but the day went by smoothly for all schools within the district.
At the end of the day, Suchocki said everything is about keeping the students safe.
“You’ll see amazing people doing amazing things,” Suchocki said. “People who don’t want credit. People who are just here because it's what’s best for students. A lot of people behind the scenes making this work effectively to keep the kids safe. That’s the key right now, just making sure they’re safe, they feel safe and making sure they’re accounted for.”
This article appeared in The Herald Bulletin.