Back to School Photos in Basking Ridge

Here are some more photos on a day in which the weather wreaked a little havoc with bus schedules and staying dry, especially for students on the early morning bus schedule.

Many Ridge High School students in The Hills stood waiting for buses that reportedly arrived late, as roads flooded around the county. But somehow, everyone who was heading to school eventually made it.

Over at the Oak Street Elementary School in Basking Ridge center, mother Caren Frost Olmsted couldn't help wiping a tear away as she left the school after dropping off her third grade son, Ben.

Next year, she said she sends off her other son, Matthew, who has one more year of preschool left. Does she forsee tears when she drops off her baby for kindergarten? "Buckets," she answered.

Nevertheless, having one less child would allow her to spend time putting up posters for the upcoming ARTsee tour of local artists' studios in Basking Ridge and Bernardsville, said Olmsted, who painted the long Oak Street school mural.

Enthusiasm among students seem to vary with age. Rick Morley of Basking Ridge, with two daughters, said his preschooler was "very excited" about returning to a classroom while his second grader rated her own feelings as being "kind of" excited and happy to return to school.

Already, Oak Street second grader Connor McCue described his favorite part of school as "recess."

Some parents of high schoolers living in The Hills gave up waiting for their students buses to arrive — especially when the clock started passing more than 10 minutes after 7 a.m., and the normally later buses for the middle school students showed up.

But mom Annelle Grayon was a little rushed as she dropped her high schooler off, even though she said she lives closer.

"The weather doesn't help," she said, as rain finally started to lighten under still-sodden skies at 7:30 a.m. On the last night before school, she said her son had a hard time getting to bed, and then this morning was still looking for what he needed.