First kids in Utah go back to school in Washington County

ST. GEORGE, Utah — While a lot of Utah’s youngsters might have still slept in Monday morning, it was the first day of school in the St. George area.

Washington County schools were the first in the state to go back Monday morning

 As the sun started to rise above Santa Clara’s Lava Ridge Intermediate School Monday morning, there was a sense of calm. Tom Gubler started his 30th year as a teacher, raising the Stars and Stripes.

There was anticipation of the day to come.

“We want all kids students to succeed and we’re … trying to prepare and hope that we can make a difference in each child’s life that will last them a lifetime,” said Gubler, a Utah history teacher at the school. “So there’s anticipation, nervousness — ‘Am I doing the right thing, going to be able to reach each child?’”

Seemingly moments after the calm, chaos ensued.

With a theme to touch gold, Lava Ridge Principal Launa Williams led a welcome to each returning and new student with signs and cheers from their classmates worthy of a returning Olympic champion.

“When we survey the kids, the one thing that they’re looking forward to is being with their friends,” Williams said. “So we want to create opportunities so that they get to spend time with their friends and to get to know others and have that support from their peers.”

If there’s one thing all of the students shared as they tried to navigate to their new classrooms, it was the anticipation of what was to come. One such case was sixth-grader Jason, who is making the transition from elementary school to the next level.

“We have to walk around in elementary,” Jason said. “We’re just one big class and they teach us every subject one teacher.”

The anticipation was felt by the parents, like Brielle Broadhead who has four kids in four different schools.

“They were up extremely early because they’re so excited,” she said.

A mile and a half north at Red Mountain Elementary in Ivins, the theme of excitement continued as the students received red-carpet treatment.

“Personally, my favorite part is seeing the kids after they’ve been gone for summer, so just seeing all their faces again. They’re so excited to be here,” Red Mountain Principal Jennifer Leavitt said. “It’s the one day where everybody’s excited to be here on the first day of school.”