Butler students returned to school Wednesday, with the district's leadership in the midst of a transition.

“Everything has been going smoothly, the bus transportation always runs a little slowly on the first days of school until everyone gets adjusted,” acting superintendent William Pettigrew said.

Pettigrew, a retired superintendent who has been filling in with the district since February, will have his final day with the district Thursday.

Brian White, the new superintendent, will start Friday. White, the superintendent of the Chartiers Valley School District in Allegheny County, said Wednesday that he has been spending many of his evenings recently attending open houses at Butler's elementary schools.

Wednesday morning, he rode a school bus full of elementary students from Butler to Center Township Elementary School, something he has done throughout his career.

“There's nothing quite like the excitement of kindergartners going to school for the first time,” White said. “Every year I've ridden a bus to school. It reminds you why we do what we do.”

A full report will appear in the Butler Eagle.