Schools
Street corner suddenly populates on first day of school
The first school bus of the year quickly changes the landscape on a suburban corner in Loudoun County.
At 7 a.m., it's quiet except for a couple of dads walking dogs. Then, at 7:10, the first rumblings of a big yellow "cheese box" portend a torrent of children to follow. But, false alarm; it's just a conscientious bus driver looking for another corner early.
By 7:20, the corner of Chartier Drive and Coton Hall Street in Lansdowne is suddenly populated with parents, kids, and dogs. Some are sleepy, others hyper. Some cling to parents; others avoid one last parental swipe at an untamed cowlick.
The parents all have cameras, and they raise them up in unison at the sight of another large yellow bus. It's another false alarm. The driver waves as she realizes this is not her age group. It's the first day of school for new bus drivers, too.
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One of the moms decides to arrange the kids in smallest to tallest order so they'll be ready to load."This is the first stop," says one of the dads. "The bus will be empty when it gets here."
And then it's here!
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The first day of school aches with nostalgia for some kids and parents and whips others into a frenzy of excitement. Often these opposite emotions occur within the same family.
One child had been up since 5 a.m. keeping her mom company as she drank her coffee.
A dad admitted what everyone would be saying in a few more weeks: "I kept hitting the snooze buttoon," he admitted.
