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WORCESTER, MASS. (WHDH) – Worcester public school students and staff received a star-studded welcome ahead of their first day of school in the 2024-2025 school year Monday, with celebrities including Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens, rapper and actor Joyner Lucas, and rapper Darryl McDaniels of the band Run-DMC all greeting school community members in a video message.
The school year officially started in Worcester on Monday. The Worcester Public Schools shared its video welcome message on Friday, including remarks from Stevens, Lucas, McDaniels, and others.
“You rock and you rule,” McDaniels said. “You hip and you hop. This year, it begins here.”
“Keep rocking and rolling and hipping and hopping and remember, education, generosity, honesty and goodness is the true superpower,” he continued.
Lucas grew up in Worcester and attended Worcester’s South High Community School.
Lucas said current South High principal Jeff Creamer is “one of the dopest principals to ever walk the face of the earth.”
“Y’all are lucky, you got a bunch of stuff that we ain’t even have when I was over there,” Lucas told current students.
“I want to congratulate everybody and welcome you back,” he continued. “I hope your summer vacation was fire.”
Professional boxer José Antonio Rivera was among the celebrities who recorded a video message for the Worcester Public Schools.
Local leaders also joined in.
“We hope you have a tremendous year,” said Interim Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier.
Rep. Jim McGovern highlighted teachers and staff.
“You are amazing,” he said. “You put our kids first and our kids are 100% of our future.”
City Manager Eric Batista welcomed school community members back to school.
In his own message, Worcester Mayor and School Committee Chair Joseph Petty said “It’s an exciting time to be part of the Worcester Public Schools.”
“We have great leadership here in the city of Worcester,” Petty said. “We have great educators. We have great scholars. It’s going to be an exciting year.”
Comedian and social media star Jimmy Cash spoke near the end of Worcester’s welcome video. Cash, who has also spent 18 years working as a public school janitor, according to his website, made his share of school-themed jokes in his message.
“We’re gonna have a great school year, hopefully a ton of snow days,” he said.
Famous faces aside, Worcester is marking a series of milestones as it begins the new school year.
The city is entering its third year since it started operating its own school buses. As of Monday, officials said all 222 city school bus routes were fully staffed.
Worcester is planning to introduce 15 electric school buses in 2026. In the meantime, the 2024-2025 school year will mark the beginning of a new Worcester Public Schools policy officially requiring students to put their cell phones away while at school.
With Monday’s first day of school, students also entered Worcester’s new Doherty Memorial High School for the first time. Though some construction is expected to continue on the Doherty campus, Worcester schools superintendent Rachel Monárrez in a recent back to school letter said the facility was on schedule to open for students in time for the first day of school. She described the opening as “historic.”
In a separate statement, officials said the 425,000 square-foot school will provide students “with a cutting-edge educational experience.”
Elsewhere in Massachusetts, districts including the Lawrence Public Schools held their own first day of classes Monday.
The first day of school in Boston is scheduled for Sept. 5.
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