Bells are ringing, buses are rolling and students are striding back into schools across Connecticut this week for the start of the 2024-25 school year.
In Hartford, students returned to classes on Monday and Tuesday. Rows of kids donned smiles and lots of back-to-school supplies, while educators prepared for a new year of learning and growth.
Before the first bells rang, Connecticut Public was there to capture the moment.
Here are some things to keep in mind as the school year starts:
The state is recommending cellphone restrictions in schools. As the Connecticut Mirror reports: “The recommendations suggest heavy restrictions on the use of cellphones at the elementary and middle school levels, with more flexibility for high school students.”
There’s an age change for kindergarten classes in Connecticut. As the Connecticut Mirror reports: Connecticut will require that all children enrolling in kindergarten turn 5 years old by Sept. 1. Lawmakers approved the kindergarten age change during the 2023 legislative session. The previous cutoff was Jan. 1 of the following year.
The state now requires school bathrooms to provide menstrual products for students, but some districts say they don’t have the funding for it, WTNH-TV reports.
Here’s a list of immunization requirements for students in Connecticut.
