The smell of freshly waxed floors and freshly opened crayons mingled with the energy of the first day of school Wednesday in three local school districts.
Some of the students, teachers and administrators who stepped onto campus were doing so for the first time. More experienced students were ready to take their victory lap as seniors, as their first day marked the start of their final year before graduation.
Brazosport, Angleton and Sweeny ISDs welcomed all students to the start of the 2024-25 school year on Wednesday, while Danbury ISD wrapped up its first week and Columbia-Brazoria ISD teachers and staff made final preparations for students’ return on Thursday.
At Brazoswood High School, a new principal welcomed students for the first time in nearly a decade.
“It’s a great year to be a Buccaneer,” said Principal Jarrett Johnson at the end of his first day on the Clute campus.
Johnson replaced longtime principal Rita Pintavalle, who retired in June. He was away from his office most of the day, only coming in to get his water bottle. His focus was entirely on the students and he made sure they saw him taking an active role in first-day activities, he said.
“We started Senior Sunrise at 6:30 this morning on Slade Field,” Johnson said. “It was great. Kids and their parents are just there to celebrate. This is their first and last first day of their senior year.”
Not long after the special moment for the seniors, staff, students and parents began driving into the parking lots and arriving by bus.
“There was no chaos,” Johnson said. “If there was an anomaly, it was simply that it was the first day. ‘I don’t have a schedule in hand yet, so I’ll find my name, go to my first class, get my first class, get my schedule there, and then I’ll just go about my day after that.'”
Brazoswood ran like clockwork, and there was already a system in place to provide everyone with a schedule and clear instructions upon arrival.
“Our teachers were phenomenal at encouraging the kids,” Johnson said. “Even if a child was struggling or had a question that a teacher didn’t immediately know the answer to, they were able to quickly find someone who did. And so the kids found a lot of comfort and trust in the staff.”
Although there were more vehicles on the road than usual because parents of new freshmen had to navigate school traffic for the first time, the process went smoothly and people were generally patient and calm, he said.
“The parents were very friendly when they picked up their children,” Johnson said. “Everyone was great and positive.”
The school halls weren’t the only crowded place in Angleton ISD on the first day of school.
Traffic in and around Angleton Junior High and Angleton High School was backed up as parents dropped off and picked up their children, Superintendent Phil Edwards said. Traffic in those areas is one of the reasons Angleton ISD is building a new junior high, he said.
Angleton ISD is working on a plan to ease that traffic congestion, he said. The new middle school is scheduled to open in the 2025-26 school year.
But once the students were on campus, everything went smoothly, Edwards said. The students seemed happy and excited to start school.
Although there were a few minor problems with the bus line in the morning, these had been resolved and were typical for the first day, he said.
Everyone in the district, from the Sweeny ISD Board of Trustees to the teaching staff, were eagerly awaiting the opportunity to welcome students to the new school year.
“I am very pleased to report that our first day of school went even better than expected,” said Superintendent Daniel Fuller. “The incredible effort our team put into preparing for this day was truly worth it.”
Fuller visited the three campuses – high school, junior high school and elementary school – to see the smiling faces of students as they reconnected with teachers and friends.
The first day of school reinforces the expectations teachers have for students, especially children who are new to school, Fuller said.
“Seeing our students confidently move through their schedules, make new friends and take advantage of the opportunities ahead has reminded me of how special our community is,” he said. “We are so blessed to have such amazing students and a dedicated team here in Sweeny ISD. The energy and excitement in the air today is just a small taste of the amazing year ahead.”
For students on Brazosport ISD’s other campuses, the sun was shining brightly and everything was going according to plan, said Superintendent Danny Massey.
“Our first day of school went smoothly,” said Massey. “We are very proud of the preparation efforts of our staff to get us ready for today.”
Lines were a little longer than usual, but that’s to be expected at the start of a new school year, he said. Some families are still learning how to do it, while others are trying to figure out whether their child should ride the bus or drive, he said. Over time, the situation will settle down and bus usage will increase as children make their final choice about transportation.
The only people more excited to be back than the students are the teachers, Massey said.
“Our teachers were very excited and ready to welcome our students,” he said.
The school year began for Danbury ISD on August 8, earlier than neighboring counties and earlier than last year for the district’s students.
A new schedule brought the start times forward by 25 minutes.
“Our teachers and staff have done a great job preparing for the return of our Panthers and those preparations have paid off with a smooth transition back to school,” said Director of Human Resources and Communications Stephanie Corbell.
“Danbury ISD had a very successful first day back.”
The reason for the two early school starts is Danbury ISD’s move to a four-day week beginning after Labor Day. Students will attend classes Monday through Thursday, taking advantage of the shorter week.
Danbury ISD is grateful to parents who have prepared their children for the new school year, Corbell said.
