Music teacher Lisa Mayer receives hugs Aug. 30 from Rosabelle Labbay, left, and Chloe Bubier as students arrive for the first day of school at Sherwood Heights Elementary School in Auburn. Mayer is beginning her second year teaching music at the school. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Emily Little, wearing hat at right, walks with her daughter, Indigo, in her right hand and a family friend, Charlie Poulin, in her left hand as they enter the water Sept. 1 at Crescent Beach on Taylor Pond in Auburn. Emily is at the pond with her sister-in-law, cousin and their children. Traditionally, the small, private beach closes after Labor Day, but with warm weather in the forecast, the beach is expected to remain open through next weekend. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

The Edward Little High School football team listens Sept. 1 to head coach Rick Kramer before the start of the Red Eddies’ first regular-season football game at the school’s new turf field in Auburn. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Imraan Mohamed, left, and Amin Sahal wait to get haircuts Aug. 29 at the 207 Barbershop at 79 Chestnut St. in Lewiston. Mohamed, a sixth grader at Robert V. Connors Elementary School in Lewiston, and Sahal, a junior at Lewiston High School, each stopped in to get a trim before the start of school. “All week, back-to-school haircuts is what we have been doing,” Tyrone Jones says as he cuts Mohamud Sahar’s hair, at right. Sahar, a fifth grader at Thomas J. McMahon Elementary School, and his cousin, Abdirisak Shugri, back left, also stopped for haircuts before school begins. The 2023-24 school year started Wednesday in Lewiston and Auburn. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Amina Ali, left, and Shukri Abdi get a head start Aug. 28 as a man holds back their competition during the three-legged race at the Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services Family Fun Day in Lewiston. Games were played, Somali and Afghan food was eaten and school supplies were handed out during the back-to-school event at Mike McGraw Park at 280 Bartlett St. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Two loons watch two kayakers paddle Aug. 28 on Tripp Pond in Poland. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Bates College sophomore Elizabeth Holcombe helps a first-year student unload a vehicle Aug. 31 at the Lewiston college, where 509 members of the class of 2027 are arriving. Holcombe and hundreds of other student orientation leaders, athletes and staff members are volunteering to be part of the “Move-In Crew,” positioned throughout the campus to help fellow Bobcats settle into their dormitories. Classes are scheduled to begin Wednesday. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Steeplejacks work Aug. 29 on repairing the United Church of Monmouth steeple at 778 Main St. in downtown Monmouth. With a grant from the Maine Steeples Fund, the church has hired Limerick Steeple Jacks Inc. of Cornish to do the work. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal