School in session for most kids

You may have noticed the increase in people and car traffic around Maricopa Monday morning as the 2014-15 school year in the Maricopa Unified School District is officially under way.

Yellow school buses, crosswalk guards holding “stop” signs and a mass of relieved parents and excited and nervous students crowded neighborhoods and streets across the city en route to the first day of a new school year.

Avidan Urrutia was starting his first day of kindergarten at Pima Butte Elementary School.

“I’m excited for the playground, new friends and snacks,” Avidan said.

“We are nervous for his first day,” said his mother, Arazu Urrutia. “But we are very excited for him to be starting school and learning new things.”

“I’m excited school is starting. I love math,” third-grade student Eric Briceno said.

Eric’s mother, Andrea Briceno, is equally excited: “I am very excited that school is starting up again. I just dropped off my other kids at school as well. I have three of them.”

“My most favorite thing is the playground,” first grader Cavan Ziccardi said.

“We can’t believe she is already in first grade. They grow up so fast,” mother Ronnie Ziccardi said.

“I am only 5-and-a-half,” Cavan said. “I was only 4 when I started kindergarten, but I was so smart.”

Cavan was eager for school to resume.

“I was bored with the whole summer thing,” Cavan said.

“She was over summer after about the first week,” Ronnie Ziccardi said.

***ADVERTISEMENT***The first days of school for local schools are:

* July 31 – Legacy Traditional School
* Aug. 4 – MUSD schools, Graysmark Academy, Legacy Montessori, Sequoia Pathway Academy
* Aug. 5 – Leading Edge Academy
* Aug. 11 – Camino Montessori