Local Schools Kick Off Academic Year with Disney Magic, Inflatable Fun
Check out how some local campuses are celebrating the start of the 2025-26 school year.
August is back-to-school season in Orange County. Thousands of students have already started the 2025-26 school year while a few of the area's 28 public school districts will welcome students and staff back on campus this week. The Huntington Beach City School District is the only district that starts in September.
Across O.C., students stepped onto their campuses for the new academic year greeted by elaborate balloon arches, hand-made signs, colorful chalk art, student leaders cheering with pompoms, and more, as the Orange Department of Education Newsroom has been documenting.
For a few select schools in Anaheim, the school year kicked off with surprises from their world-famous neighbor, the Disneyland Resort. The legendary theme park known as "The Happiest Place on Earth" is celebrating its 70th anniversary. As part of its “70 Happiest Hours” initiative, Disneyland threw a first day of school party for more than 800 students and staff at Crescent Elementary in the Orange Unified School District.
On August 20, students and families bounded onto campus with first-day excitement only to discover Disney characters, live music, photo opportunities, and conchas (Mexican sweet bread) shaped like Mickey Mouse on campus. Mickey Ears were given to staff and each student took home a Disney plush.
Crescent Principal Monica Murray, Ed.D., and OUSD Executive Director of Elementary Education Elena Rodriguez "worked behind the scenes for more than a month to plan this top-secret surprise," according to the district. Crescent's staff didn't even know about the back-to-school bash until the day before.
"Principal Murray is already brainstorming how to make next year’s first day just as memorable!," OUSD Communications Coordinator Hana Brake wrote in a text message to Spotlight Schools.
Back to this school year, there was more magic in store for local students. Around 250 third and fourth graders at Ponderosa Elementary in the Anaheim Elementary School District had a surprise story time with Mickey Mouse and New York Times bestselling author Ridley Pearson. Pearson read excerpts from his latest book, “Kingdom Keepers: Inheritance: The Final Draw.”
The surprises continued into August 21. That's when Mickey Mouse and Disneyland VoluntEARS stopped by Anaheim High School in the Anaheim Union High School District. They visited the High School Chamber Singers during their class. Students and staff were given treats and Mickey Ears and were presented with a $50,000 donation to the Anaheim High School Chamber Singers program to help them pay for a trip to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York.
An AUHSD video showcases how members of the Anaheim High School Chamber Singers were visited by Mickey Mouse.
"We are deeply grateful for this donation which allows our students to showcase their talents on a global stage and create lifelong memories," the AUHSD stated in a video.
On August 22, students at Walt Disney Elementary School in the Magnolia School District were surprised by Disneyland cast members visiting from the destination created by their school’s namesake. Students showed up to campus for an event expecting to meet their teachers before the start of the school year. They were able to participate in a field day that included crafts, face painting, lawn games and more. Mickey Mouse, Disney princesses, and Miguel from "Coco" were there to engage with more than 300 students and their families, according to the Disneyland Resort.
Inflatable Fun
In the Fullerton School District teachers at Robert C. Fisler School decided to tap into a reality television trend to connect with students starting their school year. More than a dozen teachers took part in their own "The Masked Dancer" performance and the results were entertaining.
"As part of the district’s commitment to whole-child health and development throughout the school year, middle school students across the district kick off each school year with a spirited 'Palooza' designed to build community and connection," FSD Public Information Officer Amber Muños shared in a press release.
YouTube video highlights how teachers at Fisler performed for students in a version of "The Masked Dancer."
The best part? Students at the TK-8 school got to guess which teacher was disguised as which character "spreading laughter, school spirit, and plenty of Palooza energy," Muños wrote.
Spotlight Schools also noticed some fun ways administrators were gearing up for the school year on social media. In an Instagram post, the Los Alamitos Unified School District imagined what it would be like if their principals had walk-up songs, the music that plays when a baseball player goes up to bat. From Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" to Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us," we saw the principals from the district's nine TK-12 campuses strut onto campus with the beat to match their school's attitude. Watch the video here.
Meanwhile, in the Huntington Beach Union High School District, the theme from the popular 1980s TV show "Full House" was the soundtrack for a welcome video from principals that is sure to spark nostalgia for parents. And new teachers to the HBUHSD got in on the "Law & Order" dance trend that's popular on Tik Tok.
Want to share something fun that happened at your campus? Email hello@spotlightschools.com.