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Roaring Fork Schools are officially back in session

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Kyle Mills
  

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The morning air was brisk, but that didn’t stop the smiles and laughter as parents dropped their children off for the first day of school in Glenwood Springs.

Monday marked the first day of school for grades first through 12th in the Roaring Fork School District Re-1. All 13 schools in the district serving Glenwood Springs, Carbondale and Basalt welcomed students back to class for the 2018-19 school year.

It was also the first day of classes for the area’s two state charter schools, Two Rivers Community School in Glenwood Springs and Ross Montessori in Carbondale.

At Glenwood Springs Elementary School, the chatter and the pitter-patter of feet filled the halls as the doors opened to students.

“It’s been awesome to have the kids back,” said Lora Smith, assistant principal at GSES. “The community comes together when we open our doors and the building is full of families and that connection with the people you don’t see all summer. It’s pretty special.”

“Math definitely and hanging with my friends, but mostly math,” said West Wussow, a 10 year-old fifth-grader at GSES, when asked what he was looking forward to this school year.

Dressed in their new school clothes and accessories students darted outside for recess after a morning of class and getting to know their teachers and classmates.

“Getting to see all my friends, meet my new teacher and learn new things,” said fifth-grader Maizelynn Pink-Waters, 10, when asked what she was enjoying most about the first day of school.

“I’m really excited about fifth grade, my teacher is really nice and very supportive,” said Star Hernandez, 9, as she set down her lunch bag and headed to play on the playground.

There was a steady flow of bus traffic and parents dropping of their children Monday south of town at Riverview School. Staff greeted students and Principal Adam Volek spent the morning before the first bell talking with students and giving personalized handshakes.

Kelsy Been, public information officer for the school district, said “We are excited to not have anything new this year, especially after bridge construction, construction at GSES and the addition of the new Riverview School last year.”

Last year, school for Roaring Fork District students started almost two weeks later than usual in order to adjust for the Grand Avenue Bridge construction and detour. Two new school facilities also opened last year, including the new addition at GSES and the brand new K-8 Riverview School south of Glenwood Springs.

In Carbondale, Roaring Fork High School welcomed back students with a red carpet greeting the ninth-12th graders as they walked in.

“We are really pushing hard to our students that they are our VIPs,” RFHS Principal Brett Stringer said. “They are the reason we are here and we will do everything we can to make sure they are successful in school and after they graduate.”

Also in Carbondale, Crystal River Elementary staff formed a man made tunnel to greet the students as they arrived Monday.

Enrollment for the district is up at 5,600 students, Been said. However, she expects the numbers to change and level off as the semester goes along. An official count will be made two weeks into the school year.

Glenwood Springs’ other primary K-8 school, St. Stephen Catholic School, welcomes students back for the new school year on Monday, Aug. 27.

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