Held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the event started with a barbecue outside the school in front of the parking lot where kids and parents got a chance to reunite with old friends while feasting on some delicious food.

Greg Hayes, his son Sam and Ken Bernard worked the grill, doling out tons of delights to the hungry attendees.

According to one of the volunteers at the event Alina Holmes, the evening comprised of three events bundled up into one with the goal of increasing overall attendance.

“When we do it part way through September the attendance has been quite low,” she said. “Teachers have already been introduced to their students; parents have already had a lot of communication open. So, there hasn’t been a reason for then to necessarily come.”

Along with the barbecue, teachers decided to simultaneously host “meet the teacher night” giving families a chance to meet their educators for the year and take a tour of their classrooms, Holmes said.

In the gymnasium, parents filled a modest portion of the seats for the general assembly. Parents were introduced to the institution’s new Principal Grady Robson.

Before the assembly, the hallways in the building were bustling with kids and parents taking tours of their respective classrooms. Parents were handed a collection of documents, which included a welcome letter, the transportation schedule and how kids could get their lockers.

During the assembly, Robson opened with a speech explaining his plan on continuing to build upon an ongoing tradition at the school. Coming from Onslow Elementary in Quyon, Robson is an adamant supporter of physical education programs in schools.

Jessica Ballard, president and treasurer of the school’s Home and School committee, followed up by inviting parents to volunteer for the initiative.

Plus, two positions on the school’s governing board were open for election, which were filled by Chris Beimers and Keena Judd Kelly respectively.

For Holmes, the event is a great way of making the transition from summer to school more comfortable for the kids.

“It helps ease anxiety for kids who are brand-new to the school, those who have a hard time going back to school, to be in the building and find out that information before they put on a bus on Thursday to go off in the unknown,” she said.

In previous years, “meet the teacher night” was held later on in September but with both events happening at the same time it added to the kids’ eagerness to finally get back in the classroom, Holmes said.

“It’s kind of exciting that the kids, before school starts, they get to find out who their teacher is, where their classroom is and see them.”

The school’s newest principal Grady Robson introduces himself to parents during the general assembly.

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