Some parents in Augusta County were misty-eyed Monday as they picked up their kids from their first day of school. That's because it's the last first day for kids at Ladd Elementary.
After three years of debate, the nearly 50-year-old Augusta County school will be closing at the end of the school year.
Quite a few parents are sad about losing what they call their 'home away from home.'
One Ladd parent, Wendy Droppleman, said, "They don't even have to ask my name. They just look at the clock and say ‘Mathew's in gym'. I'll go get him. It's a nice and small community. We're just going to miss that."
The 340 Ladd students will disperse to three other county schools; mostly to Wilson Elementary, which is currently under renovation.
