Students, Staff Celebrate Farmington's First Day of School

The threat of rain from dark skies did little to dampen the excitement of the first day of school in Farmington Tuesday. Many of the first day festivities were moved inside but students still waited eagerly, showing off new shoes and backpacks and comparing notes on teacher assignments. A few tearful kindergartners clung to the hands of sympathetic aides and parents snapped photos. 

But the backpacks and school supplies were not the only things new about this year, Principal Lynn Katz told Union School families who had gathered in the gym.

"We are getting more energy-efficient, we have a new layout... we have new names... a new art teacher, a new kindergarten teacher and a new third-grade teacher... and we have lots of new families. We have eight new first-graders this year," Katz said. 

The students celebrated the annual clap-in ceremony, during which families, staff and fellow students clap for peers as they make their entrance into the school and the new year. 

But the values of the school district are not new, Katz said.

"What's not new is our commitment to building strong school-family relationships because in Farmington, relationships matter," she said. "Because your children are the most important thing in our lives. We can't do this without you. We are better together."

From the smallest kindergartners to the senior fourth-graders, Katz announced each class as they headed off to start the day. When she got to the fourth-graders, she paused.

"This is a bittersweet moment. You've become such great leaders and we're so proud of you," she said.

Please, please, add your photos of your students on the first day of school.