Buses lined the streets, parents held back tears and crossing guards halted traffic as Cottonwood’s students headed back to the classroom.

Classes at Mingus Union High School, Cottonwood Elementary School and Cottonwood Middle School resumed Thursday, Aug. 7, and the children were excited.

“My mom said I get a couple of new teachers,” sixth-grader Christian Despian said. Despian’s mom said he’s a “teacher’s boy.”

Wednesday night, Despian went to bed early but his mom said he laid in bed for two hours before falling asleep.

Traci Bryan, a sixth grader, said she and her friend, Martha Winans, also in sixth grade, just moved to the middle school from the elementary school and didn’t know many people. “We’re kind of nervous,” Bryan said.

CMS principal Denise Kennedy said enrollment is up slightly this year from the close of last year. The middle school has approximately 760 students with more still enrolling. The school ended last year with 745 to 750 students.

“We’re just passionate for what we do here for the students and parents and community of Cottonwood,” Kennedy said.

According to Kennedy, CMS added enrichment instruction this year to introduce students to other cultures. One class consists of games from different countries and another teaches students Spanish.

“We’re just trying to enrich our students with some other choices beside core academics,” Kennedy said.

Students’ next day off is Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 1.