Hugs, tears, and cheers as NYC public school students head back to campus

by Annalise Knudson
Published in Staten Island Advance on September 8, 2022

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — There was excitement, cheers, some nerves, and tears as every public school student across Staten Island returned to campus for the first day of classes — marking the first time in two years a school year began without a face mask mandate for students or staff due to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Across the borough, students arrived at school Thursday morning prepared for their first day to finally see their classmates and teachers, with new backpacks, accessories, and lunch boxes. The majority of students didn’t have a face mask on as they headed to class, with just a few options to wear a face covering.

It was the first school year ever for students at the brand-new Evelyn King Campus in Stapleton, which houses the Waverly Academy for Empowered Learners (WAELS) and The Young Women’s Leadership School (TYWLS), as well as an annex site of P373R, a District 75 school for students with special needs. The new $77 million four-story building will offer 773 elementary, middle and high school seats for students on the North Shore.