Students laced up new sneakers, loaded up new backpacks and headed back to class.

Opening Day for the 2025-26 school year in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District was Wednesday, Aug. 6 and students at all grade levels were welcomed back to the campuses scattered throughout the community. For some families, it marked the beginning of a child’s entry into the school system, while others sent their young adults off to begin their final year of high school.

There were plenty of hugs, classmates happily greeting those they hadn’t seen over the summer, along with the shedding of a few tears that a ‘first day’ often brings for some. With the first few days now in the books, students and teachers alike are settling into the new, yet familiar, routine.

Not only have academic classes resumed, but there have also been a couple of weeks of practices already for many athletic teams, especially at Oakdale High School, where the fall season will soon be underway with scrimmages and preseason contests.