COVENTRY -- For Mckenzie Gofton, the first day of school started pretty much like last year's: She walked to the bus stop, climbed aboard and sat next to many of her same friends.
But as the bus sped eastward along Route 117, quickly passing Flat River Middle School, which she attended last year, McKenzie felt a twinge of sadness.
In June, seeking ways to live within their $59.9-million budget, school officials decided that Flat River would not open its doors in the fall. Yesterday, Mckenzie and her fellow seventh graders were headed for Knotty Oak Middle School.
Flat River had housed all of the district's sixth-graders and half of its seventh and eighth graders, for a total enrollment of 600.
"I want my school [back]," Mckenzie, 12, said, recalling what she felt while watching the school fade from view. "I'm a little upset. We had fun there."
The short life of Flat River Middle School, a converted elementary school on Flat River Road, began in 2002. It was a part of a $34-million project to accommodate increasing enrollment.
That project included revamping Coventry Middle School -- now called Knotty Oak Middle School -- on Foster Drive, and building an elementary school, Washington Oak Elementary School on Read Schoolhouse Road.
The decision to mothball Flat River Middle School was prompted by the strictures of a current-year budget that is $3.2 million lower than the schools had requested. The closing will save an estimated $800,000 in operating costs and allow the shelving of thousands of dollars in needed repairs there.
"We are trying to make it work and live with what we have, but I'm sad for what we lost," said Knotty Oak Middle School's principal, Michael Convery.
Throughout the summer, administrators, staff and teachers, hunkered down in "Plan-B" mode, to move supplies from the mothballed Flat River. They had to adjust teacher schedules, bus schedules and study teams and figure out how to distribute 1,388 middle school children among the remaining middle school and the five elementary schools.
This year's sixth graders remain at their respective elementary schools -- except those at Hopkins Hills, who were assigned to the other schools.
And the incoming seventh and eighth graders -- now 958 of them on as many as 17 buses -- began arriving to Knotty Oak as early as 7:25 a.m., said assistant principal Alan Yanku, the former principal of Flat River Middle School.
Yanku joined Convery in greeted the new students as they got off the buses. Convey said the first day went as smoothly as in past years.
"We're the Falcons now," Yanku said, referring to Knotty Oak's team name. (Flat River had the Raptors.)
"We are all elated that school is open. I can't say I'm thrilled with all the changes," he said. "Within a short time, any kids feeling a sense of loss will adjust. It will be a great year."
A tight-knit community of children from Coventry's central and western sections, Flat River Middle School was smaller and more remote that its sister school.
Knotty Oak is large enough to accommodate its current enrollment, with room to spare. Still "the first day of school" for some children is still just that.
"It was OK," said Tyler Sowers. "I would have like to have stayed at Flat River. But it will work out for the better."
Tyler, 11, said most of his friends are scattered among several classes. He said he'll miss piano lessons, not offered by Knotty Oak's band. (And band meets on a bad night for him, he said.)
But Tyler was trying to look on the bright side. He said he'll see his friends at lunch and let the music take care of itself.
"I'm going to play xylophone and vibes," Tyler said. " Maybe something new will happen."
Mckenzie said she'll miss the weekly celebration parties that always seem to happen at Flat River. But she says she's definitely looking forward to sports.
"I do cheerleading," she said.
Meanwhile, no flag flies over Flat River Middle School, which is quiet and empty.
"I'm really hoping it reopens," Convery said.
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