Dysart-Geneseo kindergartener Sophie Boquist, left, looks around with excitement last Friday morning as her mom, Ashley Boquist kneels down to say goodbye as part of the first day of school. Although not pictured, Sophie’s dad Mike Boquist and the family’s pet dog Max also accompanied their newly-minted kindergarten on the walk to school. Pictured behind Ashley in a stroller are DG Elementary third grade teacher Kelsi Stoner’s children who, although intrigued by all that was happening around them, are not quite old enough to attend school. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

DYSART – Ahead of the brutal heat that enveloped Iowa earlier this week, both the Union and North Tama County school districts launched their respective 2024-25 school years last Friday, Aug. 23, coinciding with the earliest possible date public schools in Iowa are allowed to begin classes.

The weather on Friday was sunny and pleasant with highs topping out in the upper 70s, making for a picture-perfect first day of school.

At Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School, both Principal Derek Weber and Union Superintendent John Howard were out front greeting students and their family members as they arrived.

While the building was ready to welcome the eager youngsters – many of whom strode up to the building with confidence and a broad smile – the new inclusive playground located behind the school was not quite ready for its debut.

“Right now they’re working on putting down the subbase for the playground,” Weber told the newspaper on Friday afternoon. “Boland [Recreation] is going to be coming out next week and the week after to work on the surface itself. And then Hatch [Grading & Contracting] is going to be finishing up with some grading and seeding.”

Members of the North Tama Class of 2025 gather around tables at Spanky’s South in Tama last Friday, Aug. 23, to celebrate their ‘last first day of high school’ as part of the traditional Senior Sunrise breakfast hosted by the restaurant located in the Tama Livestock Auction sale barn. PHOTO COURTESY OF SPANKY’S RESTAURANT & CATERING/FACEBOOK

The school has set a tentative date of Sept. 9 for an official ribbon cutting ceremony for the new playground which is being built following a lightning fast fundraising effort begun in May of 2023 and spearheaded by members of the Dysart-Geneseo Playground Committee.

Kindergartener Dylan Pipho hops off the school bus last Friday morning under the watchful eye of her bus driver in front of Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School. Pipho is the daughter of Dr. Bob and Lindsay Pipho. Both the Union Community School District and nearby North Tama County Community School District began school on Friday. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

DG Elementary's inclusive playground continued to take shape last Friday morning. A ribbon cutting ceremony has been tentatively set for Sept. 9 for students and staff. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Parents and caregivers hug their children goodbye outside of Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School last Friday, Aug. 23. Both the Union Community School District and nearby North Tama County Community School District began school on Friday. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Dysart-Geneseo Elementary Principal Derek Weber leans down to speak with a student as she makes her way into school alongside her family members on Friday, Aug. 23. Both the Union Community School District and nearby North Tama County Community School District began school on Friday. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

It was a bittersweet first day of school drop off for many families including Cady and Casey Schmidt who dropped off their youngest, kindergartener Everett, on Friday morning at DG Elementary. While Cady, left, was headed to work, Casey, the Republican nominee for Tama County Sheriff, had the morning off and said he wasn't quite sure what his plans were but knew he needed to tidy up his house at some point after having three kids at home all summer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Members of the Dysart American Legion ready the flag outside DG Elementary on Friday for the flag raising ceremony that took place later that morning. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER