Only freshmen reported to Staples High School today for the first day of classes, but they got to experience a remodeled school cafeteria before anyone else. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Kerry Long for WestportNow.com

Marilyn Heenan, a paraprofessional, helps some students find their way today at Coleytown Elementary School as Westport schoolchildren reported for the first day of classes. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Principal Robert Buckley greets students today at Saugatuck Elementary School on Riverside Avenue as Westport schools reopened after the summer break. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jonathan Thrope for WestportNow.com

Marbella Sellers, an eighth grader at Bedford Middle School, boards a bus today at the intersection of Westport’s Hillspoint Road and Valley Road. Her sister, Leticia Dennis, watches. School officials said the first day back to school generally went smoothly, although, as expected, many buses were late. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Neighborhood kids waited for the schoolbus today at the intersection of Westport’s North Avenue and Hazelnut Road. The Coleytown Elementary School bus was late—not unexpected on the first day back to school. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

The Advocate of Stamford/Norwalk reported today that in the months before former Westport Bedford Middle School teacher Paul Held was suspended from teaching three years ago, a paper trail detailed concerns about large number of photographs he took of students.

In a copyrighted front page story, the newspaper said it had obtained school district records about Held dating back to 1996. Held, who retired after being suspended from Bedford in March 2002, was arrested Aug. 2 after investigators said they found thousands of pornographic images of children in his home.

The report said the records “document concerns raised by students and parents about Held and the actions taken by the district.” It said Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon would not comment but authorized attorney Tom Mooney to answer questions.

The Advocate quoted Mooney as saying that the Westport Public Schools took complaints from students and parents about Held seriously. “The district investigated the complaints and took ‘appropriate disciplinary action,’ Mooney said,” the newspaper reported.