Hundreds of smiling 3 and 4 year olds, along with a few tearful ones began the opening day of Head Start classes Thursday and happily greeted their new teachers eager to tackle new adventures.

For the last few weeks, St. Mary Community Action Agency Head Start staff and parents have been preparing for the first day of school for the agency’s 15 Head Start centers in St. Mary and Vermilion parishes.

“It has been a great first day and I am so happy to see how enthusiastic our children and parents were today,” said Almetra J. Franklin, St. Mary CAA chief executive officer. “Our attendance was really good and our staff did a great job in welcoming the children and preparing them for what I believe will be an incredible year.”

Franklin reminds the public to watch out for the agency’s school buses as drivers pick up the children in the morning and drop them off in the afternoon. Transportation Coordinator John Madison, during orientations this week, urged parents to heed school bus rules to ensure the safety of the children as they get on and off the bus.

“There are always all kinds of hazards our drivers deal with on a daily basis, such as fog or heavy traffic, etc.,” Madison said. “So it is very important that you teach your children bus safety rules and make certain that they are followed at all bus stops.”

Prior to the start of school, Head Start parents throughout St. Mary Parish attended a mandatory orientation to meet their child’s new teachers and to get an overview of the agency’s policies and procedures.