The sun was shining bright as students and staff at Copiague School District were welcomed back for the start of the 2024-2025 school year on Sept. 4. Staff members and administrators were positioned at school entrances to ensure each student had a warm welcome as they started their first day.

Whether coming off the bus or walking, elementary students were ready to learn as they navigated their school buildings with their backpacks filled with supplies.

At Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School and Copiague Middle School, students familiarized themselves with their new schedules and reconnected with classmates. The incoming sixth grade and ninth grade students had the chance to walk through their schedules and test out their lockers prior to the first day during their respective orientations. By day’s end, students had settled into their new routines and were looking forward to the year ahead.