PARIS – The first day of school got off to a great start Tuesday as the majority of 3,600 students stepped into classrooms for the new school year.

“It was a great start today,” said Paris Elementary School Principal Jane Fahey. “Everybody’s happy. It’s amazing to see how good the teachers are. Within the first 10 minutes, kids were learning.”

From new classrooms to new books and even a sixth-grade field trip to watch a drilling company its geologist works on a retention pond in the back of the Paris Elementary School, children and teachers, including a number of new teachers, across the district stepped off to a fresh start.

They are:

Mary Andreozzi will serve as a special education teacher at Oxford Elementary School. She received her master’s degree in special education from Southern Connecticut State University and has four years of experience most recently at the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District and a school in North Haven, Conn.

Catherine Bickford will be a grade-four teacher in West Paris. She received her degree in elementary education from the University of Maine at Farmington and taught fourth grade at the Rowe Elementary School in Norway for three years. She also speaks Spanish and will support the addition of that content to the fourth-grade curriculum.

Julianne Brosnan is a grade two part-time teacher at the Harrison Elementary School. She received her degree in elementary education from Dowling College in New York and has eight years of teaching experience, most recently in grades one and two at the Madison Elementary School in Madison, N.H.

Catherine Jordan is a social worker at the Otisfield Community Elementary School. Jordan received her degree in sociology from Bates College and her master’s in social work from the University of Maine. She has been employed as a clinical coordinator/assistant unit manager at Tri-County Mental Health.

Jennifer McDonald is a new special education teacher at the Rowe Elementary School. She received her degree in elementary education and special education from New England College in Henniker, N.H. She is enrolled in the master’s in literacy program at New England College.

Jill Moyer is a new special education teacher at the Paris Elementary School. She earned her degree in special education and elementary education from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. Her most recent school assignment was at the Crescent Park Elementary School in Bethel.

Tom Light is a grade six teacher at West Paris. He received a master’s degree in education from the University of Maine at Orono and since 1987 has been a teacher at the Buckfield Junior-Senior High School. He has been the Maine Learning Technology Initiative’s Teacher Leader for four year and has taught the graduate class “Twenty-First Century Teaching and Learning” through USM.

Kim Eastman will be a new grade five teacher at the Rowe Elementary School. She received her degree in elementary education from the University of Maine at Farmington and has worked as a special education technician at the Buckfield Junior/Senior High school and as a student teacher at the Madison Avenue School in Oxford and Paris Elementary School.

Donna Kusheba will serve as the program assistant at the adult education program. She was employed for seven years as adult education day secretary. She is described by local educators as having an excellent working knowledge of all the program operations, being a very organized, professional, student-focused person who provides excellent customer service.

Victoria VanLoan will be a part-time school nurse. She earned her degree from Westbrook College and previously worked at Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice and Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway. She has worked in the district as a nurse substitute since 2004.

Elric Blow will be the district technology assistant. He has three years’ experience at the Oxford Hills Technical School, maintaining the server, fire wall, routers and peripheral. He is a 2007 graduate of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.

Francine Dumont is the adult education secretary. She has been a bookkeeper/office staff member for an Oxford organization and has held office positions with Oxford Homes and Keiser Industries, and has been a substitute teacher in SAD 17.

John Marshall has been hired as a bus mechanic. He has worked at McDonald Motors in Bridgton and VIP Parts, Tires and Service in Norway. He has his Maine state inspection license and is certified in brakes, steering/suspension, engine repair and other areas.