WEST BEND, Wis. — Anne Weise, the Principal of Holy Angels School has been an educator for 16 years. 

She said the excitement of a new school year never goes away. 

What You Need To Know

  • Holy Angels School in West Bend started classes on Monday, Aug. 30

  • The school is not requiring masks to be worn, but the principal said the situation is "fluid" and can change

  • Other mitigation strategies, like cleaning protocols and keeping students in their ‘cohorts,’ are still in place

“I get goosebumps every first day of school whether it was me as a teacher or as an administrator,” Weise said. "To just see the excitement the kids have coming off sleeping in for all summer and waking up early and just being ready to go, and their excitement drives my excitement to make it an amazing school year.”

Sophia Reisweber was one of those excited students, "to see all my friends and my new teacher."

Reisweber started second grade on Monday. She said she’s most excited for time in the library and art class. 

Her sister, Gianna, started fifth grade and was most excited for science and religion class. 

"Science because we do a lot of science experiments, and religion is just a part of my life that I really like,” Gianna Reisweber said

Masks at the small Catholic school are optional. 

That’s something the Reiswebers' mom, Michelle, is happy about. 

“I think it’s very important because I think it’s already hard to focus especially going back and having to sit in the classroom, it’s just one less thing to worry about,” Michelle Reisweber said. 

Weise said she and parents know the situation is ‘fluid’ and might have to change, but she said the school wanted to try and return as close to ’normal’ as possible. 

“We are keeping all of our other protocols in place, with our strict cleaning regimen, and keeping our students in their cohorts as much as we can, but still try to bring in some of that normalcy, so that they can really enjoy this school year,” Weise said. 

Reisweber said she knows there could still be quarantine situations like last year, but is hopeful the school year can have as little disruption as possible so her daughters, and all the students can learn as much as they can.