Uniontown welcomes back students

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Megan Rebick, counselor at Ben Franklin Elementary/Middle School in Uniontown, helps direct students to their classes as they arrive for their first day of school Tuesday. [Garrett Neese]

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Tamara Chipps wishes her daughter Kennedy Chipps, 6, a good day of school as she begins first grade at Ben Franklin Elementary/Middle School Tuesday. [Garrett Neese]

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Twins Christine Arthur and Elizabeth Arthur of Uniontown walk their kids Kendall Grahek and Landon Tankalavage, both 7, to school as they head off to first grade. [Garrett Neese]

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Rachel Rollings, principal at Ben Franklin Elementary/Middle School in Uniontown, pairs up kindergarten students with the older elementary students who will walk them into class. [Garrett Neese]

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Rachel Rollings, principal at Ben Franklin Elementary/Middle School in Uniontown, greets students as they come off the bus for their first day of class. [Garrett Neese]

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Exchanging hugs with their parents or climbing off the school bus, students arrived on the front steps of Ben Franklin Elementary/Middle School in Uniontown Tuesday morning for the first day of class.

Students in Laurel Highlands, Brownsville, and Uniontown began school Tuesday, following other districts in the region. Southmoreland School District, which includes parts of northern Fayette County, starts up Aug. 31 with select grades, then expands to all students Sept. 1.

As students arrived at Ben Franklin Tuesday, Principal Rachel Rollings was in constant motion up and down the parking lane, greeting the kids and making sure they got to the right place.

“It’s been great,” she said at the end of a cavalcade of arrivals. “We got in successfully. It was busy, but we’re all here and ready to start the year.”

For the first day, staff are making sure students know the expectations and that they’re ready to learn, Rollings said. In keeping with this year’s theme of “friendship,” they will also talk about treating each other with kindness.

Rollings started the theme before the bell even rang, matching older elementary students with kindergarteners to walk them into their new school.

“We try to all help one another,” Rollings said.