Wantagh students returns to the classroom

In the Wantagh Union Free School district, the new school year began on Sept. 1. Administrators, teachers and Board of Education trustees greeted arriving students at the entrances. Officials set up photo stations outside of elementary schools for parents to snap photos.

At the high school, Principal Paul Guzzone and Assistant Principal Nick Pappas exchanged plenty of fist bumps with students as they walked into the lobby and headed to their first-period classes.

Sixth and seventh graders at the middle school got to use lockers for the first time since the pandemic began in 2020. Elementary students spent some time unpacking their supplies and organizing their desks while admiring their new classrooms, which teachers decorated before the school year began to spark joy. 

Check out the photos above to see the scene on the first day.