On the first day of school, Wednesday, Sept. 1, from left kindergarten student Lainey Fitch, third grader Levi Fitch and second grader Logan Fitch wait for the bus on Route 4 in Jay. Each wore a special T-shirt for the first day of school. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
JAY — Things were going smoothly on the first day of school with many students looking forward to seeing their friends again.
Lainey Fitch and her brothers wore special T-shirts Wednesday for their first day of classes at Regional School Unit 73.
Printed on the purple, red and blue shirts were “I’m ready to crush” across the top and their respective grades on the bottom with a colorful character in the center.
The three were all smiles as they waited for the bus to pick them up on Route 4.
Lainey, a kindergartner, and Logan, a second-grader, attend Spruce Mountain Primary School in Livermore, while Levi is a third-grader at Spruce Mountain Elementary School in Jay.
“Me and mom have the same bracelets,” Lainey said.
On Old Jay Hill Road, fourth-grader Kristina Wilson, who waited for the bus, said, “School is always the same.”
Kristina Wilson at left and Rosaline Rogers wait for the bus on Old Jay Hill Road in Jay Wednesday morning, Sept. 1. It was the first day of school for students in Regional School Unit 73. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
Rosaline Rogers said she would be attending second grade at the primary school.
Farther up the road, sophomore Makinlee Holt said she was looking forward to seeing her friends and being back in school full time. Waiting with her was her sister Shaylin Holt who will be in the seventh grade at the middle school.
Sophomore Makinlee Holt at left and her sister seventh grader Shaylin Holt wait for the bus on the first day of school Wednesday, Sept. 1. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
Spruce Mountain High School Principal TJ Plourde, waiting to greet students as they arrived, said, “Things are going good. Yesterday with the ninth-graders went well. The kids had a great day.”
Freshman Avery Ryder said she was looking forward to the baking class. She arrived at the high school with her mom, school librarian Amy Ryder.
There was no evidence of the rumored sit-in to protest the mask-wearing requirement.
“So long as it’s peaceful and doesn’t interfere with normal operations of the school, that’s fine,” Superintendent Scott Albert said. More districts requiring masks to be worn in school buildings might have had an impact, he said.
In Jay Spruce Mountain Elementary School Principal Pat St. Clair tells a driver bringing student(s) to school where to park on the first day of school Wednesday, Sept. 1. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
Spruce Mountain Elementary School Principal Pat St. Clair said the arrival of drivers was going smoothly. He stopped at each car, telling where the driver should go and to wait until told their student(s) could be let out.
Some were told to drive around and wait there while the next few cars were asked to stop on the school side of the drop-off site. The new area was created last year at another school entrance for safety. Now buses only are dropping students off at the main entrance to the school.
The system worked well with each vehicle only having to wait a few minutes. Dozens of parents drove their children for the first day of school.
Smiles aplenty were seen as staff welcomed students back to school.
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