Day one is in the books for Lehighton Area School District and first-year superintendent, Dr. Christina Fish, said things are off to a great start.

“The first day went well,” Fish said Tuesday night. “Although there were some delays due to the Ninth Street detour, buses did their best to stay on schedule. Teachers were ready to greet students and start the 2022-23 school year off on a positive note. We want to thank everyone who made today a positive experience for our students.”

Traffic on South Ninth Street is limited to the eastbound direction as work continues on replacement of a bridge carrying the road across Mahoning Creek.

Lehighton issued a notice to parents before Tuesday’s first day cautioning them to prepare for additional travel time.

“Given the challenges of this traffic pattern, we encourage all drivers to seek alternative routes into the Lehighton Area School District campus that avoid the Ninth Street bridge,” the notice said. “We ask parents to be patient with bus pickups and drop-offs, as our bus contractor has made alternative routes that might increase travel time to accommodate this new traffic pattern.”

Local police, as well as the officers employed by the district, helped keep things moving both on and off school grounds, Fish said.

“Lehighton Borough police provided supports at various intersections and the school police did a great job keeping everything moving on campus,” she said.

As for the setting inside the buildings, high school Principal Sue Howland, in a memo to parents, said the 2022-23 school year will be more “traditional” coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school’s plan for 2022-23 continues to be centered around student and staff safety, academic achievement, and both physical and mental wellness.

“We are dedicated to providing a memorable, interactive and engaging learning experience for everyone,” Howland said. “We want every student in the high school community to be connected, challenged and show academic growth.”