Fall weather ushers in first day of school

LACONIA — The weather was mild and the sun was shining as city students returned to classes, and at Pleasant Street School there was a joyful mood as kids arrived en masse. Vehicles filled the drop-off lane at 8 a.m., with parents giving children hugs and kisses goodbye. Adults checked backseats for any lingering items before their students scurried into the school.

One mother leaned out the passenger window of her car and exchanged a high-five with her daughter, saying, “Second grade. Let’s go!” Another student ran over to his friends with a smile on his face, as his mother yelled, “I love you.”

“It is a little bit of a mix of being sad summer is over, with excitement for the new year,” Interim Superintendent Amy Hinds said as she welcomed students entering Pleasant Street on Tuesday morning. “Most are excited to show off their new sneakers or their new lunchbox.

“Sometimes for the young ones, preschoolers and kindergarteners, it can be harder for the parents than the kids to say goodbye.”

Students hopped off the bus to be greeted by staff members, who directed them to the playground or cafeteria prior to the start of the day.

One staff member was Counselor Tara John, who had a big smile on her face as children waved to her as they came in. When asked what her favorite part of kicking off the school year was, John said without hesitation, “all of it.”

“It’s fun to see how much they have grown, height-wise, over the summer,” John said. “They all come in so excited and ready to go. It is nice to see families taking photos, and the kids so happy wearing their new gear.”

Physical Education teacher Chelsea Tyler loves the energy the first day of school brings. Tyler is embarking on her fifth year at Pleasant Street, and agreed with John that seeing how much each child has grown over just a couple months is fun to see.

“The kids just bring all this life to the school,” Tyler said. “There is so much excitement about getting the school year started.”

Hinds said there is a staggered start for the elementary schools — Pleasant Street, Woodland Heights and Elm Street — with pre-school students all heading into school together. The final bell rings at 8:45 a.m., and then classes begin. Much of the focus on the start of the school year at the elementary level is “establishing routine and classroom expectations.”

“The kids learn how to act and what they are going to be doing in school, and those expectations change as they get older,” Hinds said.

At Laconia High School on the first day, students attend an assembly to go over policy changes and what to expect this year. One notable aspect for 2025-26 is cellphones and all personal electronic devices are prohibited in schools statewide for the first time. Hinds acknowledged she has heard success stories about schools who already implemented the policy, and is hopeful this will also be the case in Laconia.

Hinds made the rounds to each of the district schools to check on how the opening day was going, and said it has been a positive start to the year. Walking through the schools she saw elementary classes practicing lining up, among other daily functions.

“There is so much planning that goes into the start of school, so it is nice to have classes set up and kids finally back,” Hinds said. “It makes it real.”

One thing is for certain: staff and students are excited to be back.

“We are really excited to get the kids back, and they seem just as excited to be back at school,” Hinds said. “It was also the perfect day to start, being a nice fall-like morning to ease kids back in.”