There were smiles and cries and at least one cartwheel.

Students headed back to school Tuesday morning at Liberty Ridge Elementary and across the district.

While Liberty Ridge Principal Mike Moore said he’s excited for Day 1, he also noted that getting students calmed down and ready to learn is a big part of the plan.

“We’ve got to slow down in order to go fast,” he said.

Getting kids acclimated to school procedure is especially important at Liberty Ridge, where a growing student population means faculty will be busy meeting the needs of 969 youngsters, Moore said.

Outside the school Tuesday morning making sure student drop-off was going smoothly, Moore said it's fun to see everyone again and meet new students.

"We're looking forward to a great year," he said.

The newly expanded space across the street from the school will be open to pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students on Thursday.

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