EPPING — It was hard for Lea Chevalier to pick one thing that excited her the most about starting first grade.

“I like everything,” she said with a smile and a gob of peanut butter hanging from the corner of her mouth as she ate her sandwich during lunch.

But when the 6-year-old Epping Elementary School thought a little more, it came to her.

“I get to go on the big kids’ playground,” she said.

Laughter and the squeals of children filled the air inside the cafeteria and outside on the playground Tuesday as the bell rang to usher in a new school year.

Teachers and staff welcomed just under 500 students at the elementary school, which this year is launching a new science program and bringing 50 new iPads into classrooms as the school works to improve technology.

“I’m looking forward to a really good year,” said principal Mark Vallone, who joined other teachers, school staff, parents, guardians and relatives of students for a first day celebration Tuesday morning.

The bell will ring 10 minutes earlier this school year, with school officially beginning at 8:25 a.m.

While students must adjust to the new start time, several said they were glad to be back to school because they wanted to see their friends and learn something new, of course.

Fourth-grader Luke Rossel, 9, was surprised to find many of his friends in his class this year.

“I thought I would get to see new people, but it worked out that most of my friends were in my class,” he said.

Ben Milbury, 9, returned to school with memories from his summer days spent boating on Lake Winnipesaukee. Others shared similar memories and said they wished summer vacation lasted just a little bit longer.

“Summer seemed so short,” said fourth-grader Will Morasco, 10.

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