For first-time students or returning ones, walking through the school hallways on the first day of school can either be exciting or nerve-wracking.
Questions arise. “Will I like my teacher?”
“Will I understand the new equations in math class?”
Or simply, “Will I fail?” can linger in minds and cause worry and wonder.
But as students in the Santa Clarita Valley returned for the 2025-26 school year this week, superintendents across all local districts wanted to share a welcoming message to students and their families as they navigate the journey ahead and continue to further their academic careers.
William S. Hart Union High School District
For Hart district Superintendent Michael Vierra, his message to his students is to attend class, stay engaged and get involved.
“I know it seems real simple, but when you’re in school regularly you need to be paying attention, and engaged in your class. Just be present,” Vierra said, as he also encouraged students to seek out extracurricular activities.
“We have so many of them in our schools, and award-winning ones that just keep us connected to school. You’ll [make] friends that you’ll have, oftentimes, for the rest of your life,” he added.
If parents have suggestions, concerns, or see that their student is in need of any additional resources or assistance, Vierra wants them to vocalize it with campus administrators in order to find solutions.
After all, he knows what it’s like to embark on many “First Days” and what is ahead as a district official, but also once as a student too. Being the youngest of six children, he grew up always encouraged to do his best in school by his parents.
“They saw it as a real opportunity to do well in life,” Vierra said. “They encouraged us to do something we really enjoyed.”
The Hart district’s main goal for the academic school year is to continue strong, and personnel across all 10 sites are actively identifying and focusing on critical topics students must learn to meet state standards, Vierra said. Tutoring has also been expanded through virtual options for at-home studying.
“We have a phrase, ‘Every Student, Opportunity Ready,’ because when they leave us, we want them to make sure they can do whatever they want to do,” Vierra said. “We’re looking at the experience that the students have, too. I’m excited for the school year.”
Saugus Union School District
On the first day of school for the Saugus district, Superintendent Colleen Hawkins watched staff at Charles Helmers Elementary School comfort families, going as far as having a designated area where parents could shed a few tears after saying goodbye to their little ones.
Aside from academics, addressing student behavior is a to priority this academic year, Hawkins said.
“We want to help our kids have the ability to self-regulate and the ability to problem-solve, have the patience to wait for something, or the ability to share with other children,” Hawkins said. “It’s about having empathy for other people and humans. We’re finding post-COVID era, with smartphones and tablets, our kids are losing ability to empathize with other humans.”
Over the past few years, teachers and parents have expressed frustration over student behavior problems, including throwing objects, injuring classmates, and general disruptiveness, sparking ongoing conversations within the district community about possible solutions.
Hawkins’ message to her students and parents was, “Come to school, come to school, come to school. You cannot benefit from the teaching if you’re not in attendance. When you’re not in school, spend time enjoying each other as a family, spend time talking about things and going places,” she said. Whether it was cooking or cleaning, “Those sorts of life skills (are) so critical to their ability to see good humans, that will only help enrich the learning that they do in school.”
Sulphur Springs Union School District
At Sulphur Springs Community School, Superintendent Catherine Kawaguchi could relate to her students’ excitement.
When she was a student herself, Kawaguchi would wake up every hour the night before the first day of school, worried she might sleep through her alarm, which may be a feeling many students and parents can likely relate to.
“And sure enough, last night, that happened to me even as superintendent,” she said with a laugh.
For her, the start of the school year is one of the most exciting days for everyone involved, a time when children return from summer break refreshed and ready to keep growing their knowledge.
Teachers will focus on the students’ academic and social growth through activities such as arts, music and singing, making school an enjoyable experience and something they look forward to and a place they want to be in.
“We want our parents to know that we’re here to support them and that we want to be their partners. Also, I tell our parents, you are welcome in any of our schools. We want to make sure that we have volunteers in our schools,” Kawaguchi said. “Last year, we had, on average, 200 volunteers almost in every one of our schools. So our school doors are open. We cannot do the work without our families, and we want them to know that.”
Newhall School District
At Meadows Elementary, Newhall district Superintendent Leticia Hernandez greeted students on Thursday morning, returning to the district where she once attended Newhall Elementary herself.
The district’s goal for the year is to continue growing in innovation and collaboration, and “fostering an environment where every child feels valued, challenged and inspired, so they can really reach their fullest potential and their endless possibilities,” Hernandez said.
It’s a full-circle moment for Hernandez, who went to Newhall Elementary as a young girl, and now visits the campus to see the new generation of students, and sparking fond memories.
“What the Newhall School District gave to me was an opportunity to grow and to learn, especially as an English learner myself from a migrant family. The opportunities that it gave me has been immeasurable,” she said, and she only hopes that current students experience the same. “We really want them to take the excitement, curiosity, enthusiasm of learning we want to make a difference in their lives.”
Castaic Union School District
The first day of school is a bittersweet experience every year for Superintendent Bob Brauneisen, who used to take a picture in front of his home with his sons every year when they were in school.
But now, as they’re all grown up, it serves as a fond memory for him.
As he paid a visit to numerous schools throughout the day, starting off at Castaic Elementary, “Those moments of seeing students eager to learn, teachers passionate about their craft, and families excited about the year ahead remind me why I love this work,” he said.
Priorities for the district will be ensuring student safety and provided accelerated learning opportunities as well as launching their CLIMB initiative: Castaic Learning Initiative for Mastery and Beyond, a program aimed to close learning gaps.
“What I’m hoping students take away from this upcoming year is a genuine sense of connection to their school and a true enjoyment of the learning process,” he said. “My ultimate goal is that when students reach the end of the school year, they can look back and say they really enjoyed their experience and feel excited about returning the following year.”
His message to students is: “Maintain balance in their lives between academics and outside activities. I encourage students to approach their learning with a positive mindset,” he said, and added, for parents: “I encourage you to foster a love for learning at home and provide a supportive environment that is conducive to academic growth. When families and schools work together to create these conditions, students truly thrive.”
