And they’re off … everyone gets through first-day jitters as the 2026-27 school year begins

September 2, 2026  |  By Lisa Scagliotti

Photo by Gordon Miller

The 2026-27 school year got off to a start on Aug. 26 with school buses rolling, parents lining up in the school drop-off loops, and those families who live nearby Brookside Primary School in Waterbury strolling through the crosswalks on Stowe Street to get their students to class.

Morning jitters were evident with some tears by both adults and kids and a little coaxing needed to get some reluctant youngsters to head inside, while others bounded out of their parents’ cars, greeting teachers with high-fives.

Brookside Co-Principals Sarah Schoolcraft and Chris Neville were joined by many of the school staff to help open car doors, juggle backpacks and call students by name with welcome-back greetings.

The morning scene unfolded smoothly under the watchful eye of a Washington County Sheriff minding traffic along Stowe Street

Photos by Lisa Scagliotti

Hours later, the afternoon scene at pickup time had a distinctly lighter vibe as Schoolcraft and Neville conversed on walkie-talkies to steer students to waiting parent vehicles, buses, and family members on foot waiting on the sidewalk.

Photos by Gordon Miller

At Wednesday evening’s Harwood School Board meeting, Superintendent Mike Leichliter shared that the day had been the 50th first day of school for him in his school career from student to superintendent. He said he visited each of the schools through the day and that he received no messages about glitches with transportation. “I always worry, do children get home safely?” he explained. “So we had a very successful first day.” 

The superintendent also noted that the district has some new students from families who are staying at the Waterbury Armory family shelter, which has remained open through the summertime providing emergency housing for families with children. In previous years, the shelter closed in June and reopened in November, resulting in school-age children switching schools well into the academic year. 

“It's not the easiest thing to do to walk in in November or December, never mind living under the circumstances that some of our families are,” Lichleiter said. 

He commended the district’s relationship with Lamoille Community House, the nonprofit that runs the shelter and didn’t close this summer, allowing new students to arrive on the first day with their classmates. 

“All were given such a wonderfully warm, soft place to land. I'm really proud of the work that our schools were able to do to get them all in,” he said.