By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

PELHAM— Classes are back in session, and Valley Elementary School welcomed its newest and returning students Aug. 12. Kids were clad in colorfully decorated outfits, some with matching ribbons and bows, and carried an assortment of character backpacks.

“The first day is going as usual,” said Superintendent Dr. Scott Coefield. “The first day is always hectic, but this is really organized chaos. They really do a good job here.”

Teachers and faculty were stationed at the entrance of the school to greet and direct the parents and students as they made their way to their classrooms. Each of the students wore a lanyard with their teacher’s name on it, and the kindergarten students all carried Valley Elementary tote bags.

Kindergarteners Alexandra and Abigail Lester seemed ready to take on their first day of school in Mickey Mouse and Hello Kitty T-shirts.

“My favorite part is making pictures with my friends and the puppet shows in my class,” Alexandra said.

While spending time with friends, snack time and recess were all mentioned by most of the young students, Curran Bradley said he was most excited for science class, which is his favorite subject. Bradley and his sister Ava Cate said they were both excited to get inside the school.

Groups of families arrived at the school in waves between 7-7:50 a.m., and faculty helped parents get used to the flow of drop-off traffic.  Coefield said it would take a while for everything to move more smoothly in the mornings.

“It takes a couple days for everyone to settle down and to get into their routines,” Coefield said. “You have new parents that are learning the traffic routines and where they are supposed to go.”

Coefield spent some time at Valley Elementary before heading to Valley Intermediate School, Riverchase Middle School and Pelham High School. Communications manager Nicole Knight said Coefield planned on spending some time at each of the schools to see how students were settling in.

“All the parents are coming in, and I’m just very impressed with how they greeted everyone,” he said.