By HAYLEY HARMON
6 News Anchor/Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - Students in Knox County kicked off a brand new school year Tuesday, going to classes for a half-day.
At Rocky Hill Elementary in West Knoxville, it was a particularly special first day of school because Principal Cory Smith was back.
Smith missed all of last year because he was deployed to Afghanistan with the National Guard.
He says he's the one who did some learning while he was away, and he's ready to pass it along to his students.
"Morning boys and girls. How's it going?," said Principal Smith as he made the rounds to each classroom. He's been the principal for the last seven years.
"I was down in the southern desert area, and it was getting down to like 10, 12 degrees," he said about his service in Afghanistan.
His decision to serve overseas came as a bit of a shock to his staff. "Everybody was like, what you're leaving? I was like, yeah it's just for a year. I'll be back," Smith said.
He says he knew it's what he needed to do.
"I deployed back in Desert Storm and hadn't been since so I, you know, a lot of people had been over there and done it, and I kind of felt it was my time to go over there and do my service," Principal Smith said.
Teachers say everyone missed Principal Smith, but one student missed him the most. His daughter, Abigail, is a fifth grader at Rocky Hill. "It kind of made me sad, and I couldn't focus on my work that much," she said.
Abigail is glad to kick off her final year of elementary school with her Dad down the hall. "It's a really big difference, knowing he's just right around the corner," she said.
Parents say the principal's return is the best way to start the new school year.
"He's been such an asset to our school. The kids light up when he walks down the hallway. We missed him last year when we went away to Afghanistan and now that he's back, he brings so much energy because he's reflected on his year and is just encouraging the kids to think about the possibilities," said Kristin Cazana, president of the Parent Teacher Organization at Rocky Hill.
It seems even principals are never too old to learn. "It helped refocus my goals and what I want to see for the school to achieve and come back and really help the staff focus on what it is we want to do over the next few years," Smith said.
He adds that the students learned about military service while he was overseas.
Principal Smith says he's glad to see the changes Rocky Hill has undergone in his absence, including the hiring of 15 new teachers.
"How many of you are football players," Principal Cory Smith asked the students.
