Gallery: Amherst Celebrates Return to School

Hundreds of students in the Amherst Public Schools and their caregivers turned out at Kendrick Park on August 25 for the town’s First Day Celebration. The annual party provided games, swag (including coloring books, backpacks school supplies, fire hats, and snacks), information tables from each of the schools and from a variety of town departments, a tour of fire and police vehicles, a meeting with Auggie, the town’s K-9 comfort dog, a chance to see a school bus up close for those who might be riding one for the first time, and an opportunity to hang out with principals from each of the town’s schools and with the school superintendent. Kendrick Park was filled with school age children, some wandering in enthusiastic packs while snacking on free ice cream.

Amherst schools begin classes on Wednesday, August 27.

Celia Senckowski (L), the district’s Multilingual Education Administrator and Marta Guevara (R), the district’s Director of Student and Family Engagement ,staffed the Amherst Schools’ Family Center table at the 2025 First Day Celebration. The Family Center distributed over 500 free backpacks filled with school supplies to Amherst students for the Fall term. Photo: Art Keene

*Auggie, the Amherst Police Department’s K-9 comfort dog (with handler, Officer William Laramee) was a hit at the annual First Day Celebration. Photo: Art Keene*

*Amherst Fire and Police Departments brought lots of gear to the 2025 First Day of School Celebration. Photo: Art Keene*

Philip Avila (L), Associate Director and Pamel Nolan Young (R), Director of Amherst’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, offered a game in which students won a small prize and had a chance to learn a.little about DEI in Amherst. Photo: Art Keene

*CRESS civilian responders Eriq Jones and Taylor Taggart offered information about the CRESS program along with coloring books and colored pencils. Photo: Art Keene*

*The Kendrick Park playground was crowded all afternoon as kids spilled over from the main celebration. Photo: Art Keene*

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Tags: Amherst Regional Public Schools (ARPS), elementary schools, Kendrick Park, local events

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