The leaves are changing, the nights are getting shorter, the days are getting a little cooler and school is back in session. It’s that time of year again… Fall is here, and with it comes earlier bed times and homework. At least for students. Gone are the lazy days of summer. But that’s okay. Students at Hidden Valley Middle School seem very excited that their school year has begun. And so do the parents.

The doors of Hidden Valley Middle School have been open for almost a month now, but on Sept. 18 parents were able to experience their child’s schedule for themselves. It was Back to School night and the halls were full of parents and students walking to their classes. As the parents entered Hidden Valley Middle School, they were welcomed by Lisa Childress, a school counselor, who stood behind several tables set up by the Parent Teacher Association. The tables were filled with cookies and spring water, courtesy of the PTA, and as you can imagine, this was a very popular place for many parents and students to stop by between classes. Each parent was given their child’s schedule, although all the classes were shortened to about fifteen minutes.

Michael Riley, the principal of Hidden Valley Middle School, was also present at Back to School Night to welcome parents. It is the 40th year that the school has served students of Roanoke County, and also Mr. Riley’s first year as head principal, after having taken over from Ken Nicely. He started the evening off by welcoming parents and students to the school and sharing his excitement and plans for the school year. Chuck Lionberger, Community Relations Specialist for Roanoke County Public Schools, was also there to welcome parents to the school. He began his speech by saying, “Welcome Back Eagles!” This was received with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement from both parents and students.

Earlier bedtimes and homework may be here to stay for the next nine months, but at Hidden Valley Middle School, that’s okay. With so much school spirit and enthusiasm, it seems that the students and their parents will be ready for all the excitement and challenges that a new school year brings.

– Elizabeth Watts Jones