Two kindergartners were found safe about one mile from their school after they hid in a classroom and walked out of the building, Hamden police said.
A cafeteria worker at Ridge Hill School discovered that the two 5-year-old girls were missing Tuesday after didn't pick up their lunches, authorities said.
They hid in a classroom and walked out about noon, police said.
School staff and police searched for the girls and a teacher found them 20 minutes later walking along a road, about a mile from school.
School officials plan to meet with the parents and girls to make it clear to the students that leaving the school without permission is dangerous.
Superintendent of Schools Frances Rabinowitz said the girls were apparently headed to one of their homes.
School officials said they've set up a new procedure to prevent such incidents in the future. The assistant superintendent said he is looking into what happened.
