Livermore Students Welcomed For First Day Of School

From LVJUSD: School bells rang across Livermore on August 20 to welcome students to the start of the 2018-19 school year in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD). Whether it was a kindergartner’s very first day of school or a high school senior’s last first day, the air was full of excitement, anticipation, and a lot of hugs.

It was a day of greetings. Old friends reconnected, and students and teachers introduced themselves. Superintendent of Schools Kelly Bowers, Ed.D. greeted arriving students at Smith Elementary. Livermore Police Department officers welcomed elementary school students back to school with stickers and wished them a great first day. Elementary students lined up in front of their classrooms to say goodbye to parents and hello to teachers, while newly reunited middle and high school students scattered at the first bell to find their first classes.

Students were not the only ones getting their bearings in new surroundings. Over ninety new teachers, staff, and administrators began the day settling into their roles and getting to know their community. Staff was welcomed back on August 16 to celebrate LVJUSD’s 9th Annual Kickoff. The event included a presentation of LVJUSD’s 2018 Top Workplace Award – the District’s fifth. Keynote speaker Scarlett Lewis delivered a powerful message about her social-emotional curriculum, Choose Love™, which LVJUSD has adopted district-wide this year as part of the Livermore Framework for Student and Staff Success.

Said one teacher, “I’m so excited to start the school year. Scarlett’s Kickoff message and her curriculum are so valuable heading into a new year. We can get into a positive and compassionate dialogue with our students right at the beginning.”

“We are here for our students,” said Bowers. “It’s always a joy to see them returning after summer break, or coming to school for the first time, and filling our schools with learning, playing, and growing for another year.”

Images via LVJUSD