From coast to coast, about 54 million students are returning to classrooms — some familiar, some entirely new.
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some → return → classrooms
Every school marks the first day in its own way.
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school → mark → way
Reporters from NPR and its member stations visited four schools around the country to capture some of those first-day feelings: the nerves, the excitement, the traditions and the tears.
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Reporters → visit → feelings
When Nichole Sakellarion became principal of Micheltorena Street Elementary 11 years ago, she noticed her youngest students struggled with the transition to elementary school.
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students → become → school
So she started what has become a tradition: welcoming kindergarteners to school a day early.
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what → start → school
"It's really to make them feel a little more connected, to make their day a little smoother and to help them navigate the big emotions of starting in a new place," Sakellarion said.
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Sakellarion → make → place
Part of that early welcome entails pairing the new kindergarteners with fifth-grade "toolbox coaches" who mentor them throughout the year.
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who → entail → year
Then, on the first day, the coaches take kindergartners by the hand at the front gates and walk them to their teachers.
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coaches → take → teachers
Noemi Ulloa remembers how all those years ago, she felt shy and overwhelmed when she began attending this school.
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she → remember → school
It inspired her to take on this role.
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It → inspire → role
"As a toolbox coach, I think I can help kindergartners harness their emotions," the 10-year-old said.
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old → think → emotions
Fellow fifth grader Gerald Gomez-Reina explained some of the tools they'll teach their younger buddies — like taking deep breaths or "garbage can," which he described as "when you throw away feelings, if you get sad or mad."
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you → explain → feelings
Noemi handed out name tags and pointed students to Gerald, who led them to their cubbies, rug spots and desks.
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who → hand → cubbies
He also offered up a favorite toy he'd brought from home, Rocket the Raccoon, to help some calm their nerves.
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some → offer → nerves
Early the next morning, many of the same faces returned for the real start of school, crowded in front of the chain-link fence.
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many → return → fence
Tears flowed down the cheeks of several parents as they waved goodbye to their kindergarteners.
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they → flow → kindergarteners
That's amazing," Sakellarion said.
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Sakellarion → say → ?
They entered through the school gates, hand-in-hand with their fifth-grade buddies.
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They → enter → buddies
And with that, their new school year began.
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year → begin → that
— Jonaki Mehta, NPR
Edmond, Okla.
About 25 students and parents met in a park on the first day of school.
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students → meet → school
Although temperatures were climbing, they were preparing to ride their bikes to Will Rogers Elementary.
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they → climb → Elementary
Instead of riding the school bus or taking the family minivan, these kids and parents are using pedal power to get to class.
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kids → rid → class
It's called a bike bus.
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It → call → ?
The participants meet once a week to ride together.
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participants → meet → ?
Families began biking together as a sort of herd a few years ago, inspired by similar efforts in Oregon to encourage kids to get out and pedal.
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Families → begin → kids
Once everyone gathered, the ride kicked off.
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ride → gather → ?
As the parents and children approached the school, first grader Hayden Raupe steered his black, blue and green bike past a line of cars stretching around the corner.
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Raupe → approach → corner
"Biking's actually better because you don't have to wait in a long line," Hayden said.
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Hayden → have → line
"I'm like, you guys should've biked!" added his brother, third grader Owen Raupe.
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brother → bike → ?
The school moved into a new building, but along with its new state-of-the-art theater with its bright orange seats and the big LED screens in the gym came the school's 110-year-old bell.
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bell → move → gym
It rang out to mark the first day of the school year, just as it has most every year.
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it → ring → year
Only this time, the familiar sound echoed through the building as students tried to find their way in the unfamiliar new structure's maze-like hallways.
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students → echo → hallways
Principal Andrew Kearl said work went into making sure the school, which has nearly 1,400 students, felt warm rather than sterile, the way new buildings sometimes can.
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buildings → say → students
Adjustable classroom lights, including the ones in Leah Baird's special education classroom, which start off soft as students start their day.
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students → include → day
"The technology in here is amazing," Baird said.
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Baird → say → ?
"We can change the light color to support students' sensory needs.
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We → change → needs
And this year, natural light from large windows floods her classroom, something Baird didn't have in the old building.
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Baird → flood → building
Outside Baird's classroom door, the wall is covered in a colorful mosaic created by ceramics students.
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wall → cover → students
She told her class to look for the sea turtle in the corner to find their way.
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She → tell → way
"So as we're navigating a massively large building, we've got lots of different visual and sensory cues," Baird said.
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Baird → navigate → cues
…and 18 more, not listed.
