Thousands of children returned to classes on August 24, 2026, marking the first day of school for Chicago Public Schools. Teachers and staff greeted students with a red carpet at Leland Elementary in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.
Ashli Reynolds assisted her son, Ashton, aged seven, into his backpack as he prepared for second grade at Harold Washington Elementary in the Burnside neighborhood. In another warm welcome, Mayor Brandon Johnson joined teachers and staff at Leland Elementary, smiling and extending greetings to the students.
Maria Del Rocio Rodriguez tended to her daughter Ximena’s hair while Omar, 12, and Valeria, 4, enjoyed breakfast ahead of their school day. The scene was captured as they prepared at home.
At Matthew Gallistel Language Academy, Maria helped her young daughters, Valeria and Melissa, leave the mobile classroom, only to discover that the first official day of preschool would begin on Tuesday. Paraprofessionals Lucia Serrano and Zayra Cabrera stood by the doors, assisting the families.
Mayor Johnson was also seen dancing down the hallway at Roswell B. Mason Elementary School in the North Lawndale neighborhood. The event was marked by lively celebrations, echoing the excitement of students returning to their classrooms for another academic year.