CRANBERRY TWP — In the midafternoon on Thursday, Aug. 20, thousands of elementary and middle grade students poured out of Ehrman Crest Elementary School in waves to head back home after their first day of this school year.

“Everything went smooth,” said Danielle Fagan, a Creativity, Innovation and Research teacher and technology facilitator. “It was nice to see so many familiar faces back again.”

Fagan said students turned up in the morning with smiling faces and lots of excitement.

“I didn't realize how much I missed the kids until I saw them again,” Fagan said.

Ivan Aranha, assistant principal of Ehrman Crest Middle School, concurred that the first day was a success.

“It all came together,” Aranha said.

He noted how much planning goes into putting together Day 1 — making sure buses arrive on time, teachers preparing to teach, assembling the curriculum.

“We got an elementary and a middle school, so you got about 1,000 kids, and we have to do a lot of communication,” he said. “There’s a lot of flexibility, teamwork to make it all work.

Aranha said this year, compared with previous years, there’s a heightened sense of national pride coming into play.

“There's a different air, with the recent 250th celebration,” he said. He said the school is looking for opportunities to celebrate American values and history.

Fagan said she is looking forward to a school year of helping and watching students grow and expand their knowledge base.

“We're building together, and so I just love to see (students’) creativity come out,” she said.

Ehrman Crest is one of Seneca Valley School District’s many schools that welcomed back students to its classrooms, along with Freeport Area School District, on Thursday — the first two districts to do so in Butler County.