Parents, teachers excited to have students back in class

WHITEFISH BAY (WITI) -- You might say vacation has finally ended -- if being out of school for two days due to the dangerous cold is a vacation. On Wednesday, January 8th, most schools in the area reopened.

Winter break ended last week, but got an extension this week, due to the bitter cold. Now that the dangerous cold is receding, kids are getting back into the classroom.

Judy Parrish's kids headed back to school on Wednesday, after two unexpected days off.

For Parrish's kids, it was an active two days off.

"We did lots of art projects, cooked and baked -- just had a lot of fun," Parrish said.

Nathan Smallwood said his kids experienced a bit of cabin fever.

"Mostly sat in, took care of our little puppies and drove each other crazy," Smallwood said.

Smallwood said his kids were eager to get back to school -- making the drop off a little easier at Donges Bay Elementary School in Mequon Wednesday.

"I told them it was much warmer, so it's all in the attitude today," Smallwood said.

At Richards Elementary School in Whitefish Bay, getting the kids back to school again was a very good thing for Nancy Gerard.

"This morning all of us slept until 7:20, so it`s a miracle we all weren`t late. It was great. They missed (school), and I think that the routine is good," Gerard said.

Mark Tenorio, the principal at Richards noticed an energy from his students on Wednesday.

"It was great to simply get them back because they need to be in school. That`s one of the joys from this job is when you see the kids coming into the school building and how anxious they are to be back with their teachers, see their friends as well as to learn something new every day," Tenorio said.

It was also an exciting day for parents like Nick Hernandez.

"You kind of get cooped up and you want the kids to get back to their regular schedule, parents get back to their regular schedule. So I think it`s good for everybody," Hernandez said.