Bennett Lecher had a good first day of school.

He listened to some stories, played during free time and rested during nap time. There was milk break and recess. He colored in his journal and made some new friends. His favorite part of the day was lunch time.

And tomorrow he will do it all over again.

The all-day, every-day kindergarten program at Lake Ripley Elementary launched Tuesday as dozens of kindergartners attended their first day of class.

“It’s always exciting to get back into it,” kindergarten teacher Kris Haugo said. “Exciting for the kids; exciting for us, the teachers. That first day never seems to lose its thrill.”

Litchfield School District is introducing the all-day, every-day kindergarten program this fall after a group of parents voiced interest about starting an all-day, every-day program. After a year of discussion, the Litchfield School Board voted in January to establish a fee-based kindergarten option.

Of the six sections of kindergarten offered by Lake Ripley this year, two are all-day, every-day. Forty-three students are enrolled in the two classes, with Haugo and Joyce Kiehn each teaching one class. Lori Weseman and Erin Eichner each teach two sections of all-day, every-other-day kindergarten.

Read more about the district's new all-day, every-day kindergarten program in the Sept. 4 Independent Review on newsstands now.