SPENCER — Wanting to make sure students not only feel welcome, but safe, and understand police officers aren’t as scary as they can seem, members of the Spencer police department spent time at local schools Wednesday morning giving high fives and hugs to kids on the first day of school.

“It’s just a small way of connecting with them,” said Chief Michael File, who was at North Rowan Elementary at 7 a.m. He was joined by Sargeants Leonard and Everett and Officer Moore at North, and additional officers Detective Honeycutt, Corporal Reep, and Officer Ryoti at North Rowan Middle School and   Officers SMith and Brown at North Rowan High School.

File said he had been concerned Tuesday about a possible delay in the start of schools after Monday night’s storm knocked out power  throughout Rowan County, including to schools.

But at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night, Rowan-Salisbury Schools officials gave the word that all power to schools had been restored. A few buses had to re-route to avoid trees, and at North, one family was contacted to temporarily move where their child is picked up, but for the most part, the day went smoothly.