LIVERMORE FALLS – It looked like classes had already begun Thursday as teenagers and teachers worked on projects for opening day at Livermore Falls High School.

The first day of school in SAD 36 for pre-kindergarten through ninth grade is Tuesday, Aug. 29, with all students attending Wednesday, Aug. 30. There will be a community cook-out Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the high school with everybody in the towns invited.

Heather Lefevre, 17, and 2005 school graduate Joey Mejia, 18, were putting together a poster featuring the Peer Helper group in the home economics room.

Lefevre is a past peer helper but there is no Peer Helper II class, she said, so can’t participate this year. That upsets her some, she said.

“I loved it,” Lefevre said. “We did a lot of community service.”

A senior, she likes school but is not looking forward to going back this year because it signals an end of her school life in Livermore Falls, she said.

“It’s my last year,” Lefevre said. “I’m nervous about the whole college thing.”

Teacher Anne Weatherbee said the posters students were making would be on display opening day to highlight high school student activities. Academics, sports, book club, knitting club, Civil Rights Team and darkroom photography, students have many offerings to choose from during school and after school, Weatherbee said.

“There’s just a lot going on here and we want students to know all the things that we offer and want them to participate,” she said.

She held up a large, framed photo of the class of 2006 that will go in the center of the new aspirations board in the lobby featuring alumni and their accomplishments. A new rug donated by the classes of 2002 and 2003 will read “Welcome to Livermore Falls High School” at the main entrance.

The high school will offer long-distance learning courses through new technology being installed at the school.

Mariah Bragdon, 16, and Hillary Hemminger, 16, were working on a poster display about Winter Carnival, a longtime tradition at the school.

Both teens said they were looking forward to going back to school.

“I’m excited to see everybody,” Bragdon said.

Hemminger said she’d rather be at school than sitting home watching television.

Monica Harlow, 16, also doesn’t mind coming to school, she said.

“I like school; I just don’t like all the drama – bickering and fighting – that goes on in school, but besides that, it’s good,” Harlow said.

Jakelynn Crosby, 15, agreed with Harlow about not liking the dramatics that go on between students.

“I like school. I like the projects best,” Crosby said.

Summer vacation went way too fast, she said.

Mike LaFreniere, 16, said he liked school and liked being around people.

“I don’t mind the work. It’s not too bad,” he said.

Tanya Wolfe, 15, Kelsey Wilkins, 16, and Laura Langlin, 16, are looking forward to school as well.

Wilkins likes the drama program best, she said, and both she and Langlin concurred that math was what they liked least.