Students across the district stepped onto buses for the first time of the 2013-14 school year Tuesday, August 27, while teachers and school staff waited to welcome them.

At Head O’ Meadow Elementary School, school faculty and staff waited inside the school’s main entrance, at the ready to offer greetings and assistance to classrooms.

“Welcome back to school,” one staff member said as students stepped off the first round of buses at the school.

Transportation Manager and Co-Owner of All-Star Transportation Richard Dufour reported a “great morning” by 10:30 am. Mr Dufour said there was a slight delay at the high school at the start of the morning, but overall the first day of the 2013-14 school year was much better than the previous school year.

He also said nearly all of All-Star’s drivers from the 2012-13 school year returned this year, and “they did an outstanding job today.”

Therapy dogs were also at the ready to welcome students at some of Newtown's schools, including Reed Intermediate School and Sandy Hook School, housed at Monroe's Chalk Hill Middle School.

A further look at the first day of school for the 2013-14 academic year will be in the August 30 edition of The Newtown Bee.

Parents can share their first day of school photos for possible publication by emailing Education Reporter Eliza Hallabeck, Eliza@thebee.com. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, August 28. All of the photos will be used in a slideshow online.