Huntington Beach City School District gives returning students the red-carpet treatment

Middle school students pose for pictures
Returning students pose for pictures on the red carpet at Sowers Middle School. Tuesday marked the first day of school for all 7,000 students of the Huntington Beach City School District. (Photos courtesy of Cynthia Guerrero, HBCSD)

The Huntington Beach City School District literally rolled out the red carpet on Tuesday to welcome back more than 7,000 students, becoming the final Orange County district to begin the 2017-18 school year.

A student on the first day of school
Moffett Principal Michael Andrzejewski greets Atticus and his mom.
Student returning to Moffett Elementary School
Kindergarten teacher Janelle Axton welcomes Charlotte to her class.

At Moffett Elementary School, kindergarten teachers Janelle Axton, Melissa Espinoza, Joan Penniston and Katie Powell met behind closed doors to cheer and wish one another well before enthusiastically greeting 100 new students and their parents, who arrived to a scene reminiscent of a Hollywood opening. 

Across town, Dwyer and Sowers middle school students also received the red-carpet treatment, but in place of paparazzi there were moms and dads snapping photos — and giving last-minute hugs.

The Huntington Beach City School District administers seven elementary schools and two middle schools in Huntington Beach. In addition to celebrating the start of a new school year, the district says it’s exhibiting high-tech classrooms with interactive displays and flexible furniture at each of its campuses to preview the work planned through Measure Q, a $160 million facilities bond measure approved by voters in November.

For more information, visit the HBCSD website.