Monday morning, August 17, just past 9 AM the entire neighborhood is startled because a drum band passes by.
Leading schoolchildren with a very large Dominican flag, in between school children with additional smaller flags.
Then, the parents and the procession ends with a couple of guys beating the drums.
The new school year for elementary schools has started again and that is announced in Sosúa with a procession through the neighborhood.
Then it goes to the school where the director will speak to the children and parents.
Then there is lemonade and coffee with cake and the school year officially started.
In the afternoon the children come back to school for the first lesson of the year.
To start school with so much noise does have a clear reason.
Opening new school year
The first days of the new school year traditionally many students stay at home.
Especially children who live a bit further from the schools will not be present the first few days of the new year.