NATCHEZ &045; All the red roosters, bluebirds, yellow ducks and green frogs made it safely home Friday afternoon, even if it was a little later than usual.

A massive organization effort on the part of the administration became child’s play as the school buses pulled up and the West and Frazier Primary children lined up according to their animal. Teachers at both primary schools held signs with the animal and a bus number. Matching animals were clearly plastered onto each bus. And the children wore their animals around their necks.

&uot;This is user friendly even for adults,&uot; Frazier teacher Lana Brown said. &uot;We’ve all been working together.&uot;

The buses were the biggest worry for all the Natchez-Adams schools this year because of a school reorganization that realigned just about everything. School start and end times have been adjusted this year to accommodate buses that have to make longer trips to transport students. Students no longer attend schools based on their geographic location but on their grade level.

Teachers at Frazier used a megaphone to scream last minute details across campus as buses came.

Across the district dismissal came with some confusion and delays, but the school days were more structured, principals said.

Around 750 first- and second-graders at Frazier Primary had a smooth day, Principal Lorraine Franklin said.

&uot;It’s a great day, about as well as it can be on the first day,&uot; Franklin said. &uot;The teamwork has been great today.&uot;

Franklin said some parents were adjusting to the change slowly, causing some confusion. Frazier’s drop off and pickup locations and rules changed because of its increased enrollment and bus changes.

District Director of Operations Wayne Barnett said to his knowledge transportation had gone well across the district.

Barnett and bus officials will be closely watching rider numbers for the next few weeks to make adjustments where needed. He encouraged parents whose children will ride the bus for the majority of the year to go ahead and put them on the bus next week.

At Morgantown Elementary the biggest change for Principal Fred Marsalis was in the noise level. &uot;I’m getting used to not having 1,200 kids around,&uot; he said. &uot;I’m looking for the noise and excitement we had with 1,100 to 1,200 students. Everything’s just rolled correctly.&uot;

Part of the reorganization of the schools evened out enrollment across the district. Most schools have around 650 to 700 students.

For the kids though, the worries aren’t quite as technical.

&uot;Last year when I was in the first grade, it was easier,&uot; Frazier second-grader Andrunecia Barnes said.

Friend Essence Smoot agreed but said she’d already starting learning things in second grade.

&uot;I learned math, and I have homework in math,&uot; she said. &uot;But it’s fun homework.&uot;

First-grader Chelsea Smith started off the day by losing her front tooth, but she didn’t let it stop her.

&uot;I think I’m going to learn reading and writing,&uot; she said. &uot;I love writing. When I mess up I get another sheet and start over.&uot;