First day of school festivities include kickoff of Conant High School’s 60th anniversary

Students returned to a grand entrance on their first day of classes Monday at James B. Conant High School in Hoffman Estates, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

From balloons to flags, Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 kicked off the new year with festivities and excitement.

Teachers cheered as they lined the entrance and handed out Hawaiian leis and $5 Dunkin’ gift cards while greeting some of the 2,500 students filing in under a giant balloon arch.

The student council partnered with Dunkin’ to get each of the students a free gift card.

Conant High School is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The first musical of the year will be “Mary Poppins,” which is also celebrating its 60th anniversary.

This is also the fifth and final year that District 211 will be led by Superintendent Lisa Small, a 33-year veteran of the district. The board of education’s ongoing process of identifying her successor is expected to be completed during the fall.

The district also includes Fremd, Hoffman Estates, Palatine and Schaumburg high schools.

District 211 was one of the first suburban school districts to kick off the school year Monday. Dozens more will welcome students back over the next few days.