Excitement was in the air as several area Catholic schools kicked off the new school year on Monday.

Sister Virginia Stephanie, principal of St. John Neumann Regional School in Palmerton and Slatington, said the day went as well as could be expected."School's off to a good start," she said. "We got several new children."Additionally, Sister Stephanie said there are three new teachers, Renee Cerimele, first grade; Valarie Marks, sixth grade; and Donna McLaughlin, eighth grade."Our parents recognize that St. John Neumann Regional School works with the students in their moral and social development, as well as their academic abilities because St. John Neumann works to enhance the whole child," she said. "We're grateful to all our bus districts who have cooperated with us in busing our students, also the many benefactors that we have that aid our families with tuition, as well as our parishioners who support our school with their generosity and good prayers."In all, the school has 81 student in grades K-8, Sister Stephanie said. The school serves students in kindergarten through third grades at its Slatington campus, and grades 4-8 at its Palmerton campus."We are small by design, but we are mighty in that our graduates this year from high school have all gone to colleges of some type," she said. "Our Palmerton campus is air-conditioned, while our Slatington campus is warm, but it's not oppressive."Recently, the Palmerton campus received a brand-new gym floor, while the Slatington campus was rewired for technology purposes to aid the Smart Boards, laptops, desktops, and tablets, Sister Stephanie said.She said the goal is to have the school's Palmerton campus rewired next summer.It was much the same at St. Jerome Regional School in Tamaqua, where Principal Amy Hannis-Miskar said the first day of classes "went great."Busing went well, and the classrooms are air-conditioned, said Hannis-Miskar, who added that lunch doesn't start for another week.She said the school's enrollment is at 197, thanks to 100 new students. Of those, she said the majority are from Our Lady of the Angels Academy in Lansford, which recently closed, as well as students from local public schools.In addition, Hannis-Miskar said a new art room and science lab was created, as was a new space for the library, a new classroom for fifth and sixth grade students, a new preschool classroom, and another section of kindergarten, while a computer/gym teacher, an art teacher, and a music teacher were hired. There is also a new school board, she said.Classes began Monday at Marian Catholic High School.Jean Susko, the new principal, said there are about 347 students enrolled. Included with that are 91 freshmen, which represents an enrollment increase.Along with Susko, staff changes include Peter Sanfilippo as dean of students, and Erin Meehan, English teacher. The school is still looking to fill a math teacher position.Susko said the school has a new gym floor, and took out the old coal stokers and are putting in a propane heating system.She said there were some minor transportation issues, but none that can't be worked out over the next few days."I'm looking forward to working with all the staff members and teachers, to have a very successful school year, and to maintain the Catholic identity," she said.Efforts to reach St. Joseph Regional Academy in Jim Thorpe in time for today's publication were unsuccessful.