AUBURN — Jaden Castro’s red, high-top sneakers and the snazzy pink and black outfit worn by Danasia Wilhelm weren’t the only new things in Jamie Theriault’s classroom Wednesday when students returned to school.

It’s a practice called “looping,” in which a teacher stays with her class when it moves to the next grade.

Theriault taught kindergarten at Walton Elementary School last year. This year she’s teaching the same pupils as first-graders. 

Principal Mike Davis said Theriault is the only Walton teacher looping this year. He granted her request when a first-grade teaching position opened.

It takes a skilled teacher to loop because it means teaching a different curriculum, Davis said. “She’s very skilled. She’ll be great at it.”

While getting her room ready for students before class Wednesday, Theriault said she was excited to teach the same students.

“It was nice to come in the summer and actually plan for kids I knew,” she said. “You try to plan in the summer, but you can only do so much when you don’t know your kids.”

Research on looping shows “tremendous benefits for the kids, both academically and socially,” she said. “I know the kids academically. I know where they’re at, what they need, their strengths. We don’t need that six weeks of getting to know you, which is awesome.”

Other Auburn teachers loop with classes, Superintendent Katy Grondin said. “The whole middle school loops. The students are assigned a team and stay with that team for the two years they’re in the middle school.”

Lewiston has between 15 and 20 teachers who loop, plus middle school teachers, Superintendent Bill Webster said. “I love looping. We have made it optional at this point.”

While two-year looping gives students a jump-start by reducing getting-to-know-you time, one concern could be when a student and teacher clash. If that happens, a student can be reassigned to another teacher, Grondin said. “We do make those adjustments when necessary.”

Theriault said to loop successfully, students and a teacher have to be the right mix. “Our classroom last year was like a family,” she said. “We took care of each other, learned well together.”

Last spring she asked parents if they wanted their child to stay with her, giving them the option to decline. All stayed, Theriault said. “They were nervous about sending their kids to meet a new teacher.”

Before class Wednesday, parent Michelle Goldrup said she was pleased that her daughter, Caydence Lavigne, has the same teacher this year. 

“It makes it easier for her to go from kindergarten to first grade,” Goldrup said. “That’s a big step for them. She knows the teacher, and so do I.”

Theriault’s class size this year is 18, including 15 from last year and three new students.

Kindergartners must be able to read by the end of the year, mastering  30 “site” words, including “a,” “at,” “the” and “my.” By the end of first grade, they have to be stronger readers, mastering 105 site words, Theriault said.

As she spoke, Theriault glanced out the window and saw students.

“They’re already lining up. I love it,” she said. She was eager for school to start. “I’ve been looking forward to seeing my kids again.”

After students settled in their rooms, Principal Davis came over the intercom welcoming them back. “We are glad you are here.”

Students recited with Davis the Walton school pledge: “At Walton school we own our learning and work together to do our best to be leaders in a safe and respectful community.”

After the Pledge of Allegiance, the first-graders looked at their teacher.

“Good morning, boys and girls!” Theriault said. “Welcome back to first grade!”

They came to the rug for circle time, said good morning to the child next to them, and began their year by sharing what they did over the summer.