First day of school in Chico brings smiles, chalk, wrought iron

By Roger Aylworth

raylworth@chicoer.com @RogerAylworth on Twitter

CHICO >> Colorful chalk messages, bright smiling faces and wrought-iron fences were part of the first day of school on some of the Chico Unified School District campuses Monday.

The first day of school found CUSD Superintendent Kelly Staley playing a helper role at Chapman School.

Staley was shuttling documents around the campus Monday morning. She said all of the district administrators were assigned to a school to help in whatever way they could.

The superintendent said she saw lots of parents and "lots of smiling, happy children. It's a happy place."

The district is tentatively hoping there might be a slight rise in enrollment this year.

Staley said if the student population does climb, it could be because of the "transitional kindergarten" program. This is the third year of the program that allows 4-year-olds to attend what amounts to "pre-kindergarten."

Students in the transitional program will have two years in kindergarten. She said the popularity of the program has grown each year.

Across town at Pleasant Valley High School, students arrived on campus to find something that if done at other times, in different places, using different tools, would not have been the source of happiness.

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First day of school in Chico brings smiles, chalk, wrought iron