Kindergarten teachers at three Colonial School District elementary schools might think they need to make an appointment with their eye doctor after the first day of school on September 11th. The district has 17 sets of twins entering school for the 2023-24 school year.

The breakdown of schools the twins will be attending are Ridge Park Elementary School with seven sets of twins, Whitemarsh Elementary School six and Plymouth Elementary four. Conshohocken Elementary is left out of the fun with no twins starting kindergarten there. This is the most twins in a single class in recent district history.

The district is referring to the unique situation as “Twin-dergarten” and expects that the natural apprehension about the first day of school will be helped with so many brothers and sisters starting school together.

“We always have each other,” said Chloe and Audrey Ugas, who will be attending Ridge Park Elementary School.  

Brothers Tyler and Michael Notarianni, who will go to Plymouth, agreed, saying they like having a “built-in best friend.” Corinne and Julia Longwell, future Whitemarsh students, said being a twin means “always having someone to be there for you.”

Charlotte Dorman, who will attend Ridge Park, noted, “I get to hug my brother any time I want.”

Mairead Higgins, who will attend Whitemarsh, loves being a twin because her brother, Michael, “does nice things for her.” Eloise Fuga, who will also attend Whitemarsh, likes being a twin for slightly different reasons.

“I get to trade Pokemon cards every day, and I always have someone to play with,” she said. 

Her brother Roman added, “I have a best friend forever and I like to play with her at the pool.”

The “twin-dergarteners” also expressed a lot of excitement about the coming school year. They are looking forward to playing on the playground, learning subjects such as math, reading, and science, and riding the bus. Eloise said she’s excited she won’t have to observe “rest time.” Most of all, the soon-to-be students can’t wait to meet their teachers and classmates.

“We’re excited to make a lot of new friends,” said Alexander and Aiden Gambale. 

Kindergarten students will spend the first week of September participating in orientation activities at their schools. The first official day for them to attend is Sept. 11. Students in grades 1-12 start on Sept. 5. 

PHOTO CAPTION (includes 15 of the 17 sets of twins entering kindergarten): In the top row, from left to right: Annabelle and Theodora Brody (Ridge Park), Alexander and Aidan Gambale (Ridge Park), Roman and Eloise Fuga (Whitemarsh), Michael and Tyler Notarianni (Plymouth), and Logan and Mia Weiser (Ridge Park). In the middle row, from left to right: Delaney and Sloane Hanna (Whitemarsh), Brynn and Madeline Smith (Ridge Park), Lukas and Brianna Beddingfield (Plymouth), Michael and Mairead Higgins (Whitemarsh), and Chloe and Audrey Ugas (Ridge Park). In the third row, from left to right: Julia and Corinne Longwell (Whitemarsh), Mackenzie and Peyton Shaw (Whitemarsh), Keegan and Colton Cox (Ridge Park), Anna and William Schofield (Plymouth), and William and Charlotte Dorman (Ridge Park). 

Photo: Colonial School District