Long lines of yellow buses under a thickly clouded gray sky heralded the opening of another school year for Fairfax County Public Schools Tuesday morning, as students filled hallways to greet friends after a long summer.
“We’re very excited to see all the kids back,” said Lanier Middle School principal Rodney Moore. “I think the students are ready to be back, too.”
Amid looking for schedules, lockers, homeroom assignments and friends, students arrived half an hour before the beginning of classes and tried to find their way around.
“It’s been a busy morning,” said Susan Adams, attendance secretary at Lanier. “This is a whole new setup for some of these kids. They’re mostly asking for lockers and schedules.”
She said that the office had been full of inquisitive students since she arrived at 7:05 a.m., and things hadn’t slowed down by 8 a.m.
“We’re excited for the new year,” Adams said. “It’s great to see the kids back. It’s always exciting.”
WITH ENROLLMENT at around 1,000 students, Moore said Lanier is utilizing 12 trailers as temporary classrooms. “We’re really looking forward to the renovations starting this year,” he said.
Around the corner at Providence Elementary School, administrative intern Shamarlas Allens helped direct children off the buses and toward the correct classrooms.
“I’m just here to make sure things go smoothly, calm down some of the parents and the kids,” he said.
“The parents just want to know that their kids are fine and in a safe place and to make sure they know where they’re going,” he said.
Principal Joy Hanbury was excited and enthusiastic about the new year beginning.
“It’s great to see them all again,” she said of her students. “Everybody’s excited. The first day is very special.”
Amy Krull, Providence’s speech language therapist, was helping direct students to their classrooms.
“I want to make sure that our kids are getting to their rooms as easily as possible,” she said. “The staff is excited and ready to go, and it looks like the kids are, too.”