NATCHEZ &045; The lunchtime apple was the only similarity.

Morgantown Elementary third-grader Dekota Johnston finished his first year of school in Natchez with a shorter haircut, a room full of friends, a broader smile, more knowledge about dinosaurs and a little more height.

It was a far cry from his first day as the new kid last August, when he sat silently through lunch.

&uot;He wouldn’t talk to us on the first day of school,&uot; friend Jarmay Butler said during the final hours of the school year.

But according to teacher Julie Caldwell, it wasn’t too long before Johnston got acquainted and fit in with his classmates.

&uot;He was kind of shy at the beginning of school,&uot; she said. &uot;But now he’s not shy at all and he did really well in his math.&uot;

Johnston and his family moved to Natchez last summer from Alabama and his first day of third-grade was his first day in a new town, new school and with new classmates.

&uot;This is my third school,&uot; Johnston said of Morgantown. &uot;I like them all the same. I don’t have a favorite.&uot;

Next year means another new school for Johnston though, but this time his friends will go with him.

The restructuring of the Natchez-Adams School District will send all fourth-graders to McLaurin Elementary.

&uot;On the first day of school, you’d better talk to me,&uot; Jadarius Long said to Johnston.

The story was much of the same amid boxes at West Primary School for kindergartner Brandon Brown.

In August, Brown spent much of his morning crying and clinging to mom, but teacher Diane Verucchi said there’s none of that anymore.

&uot;After the first day he’s been just fine,&uot; Verucchi said. &uot;He’s a little character. I said (to another teacher) ‘What are we going to do without Brandon Brown next year.’&uot;

Verucchi, who recently moved her classroom from one wing of West Primary to the other, will be staying at the school, but Brown will be headed to first-grade at Frazier Primary.

Though he said kindergarten was fun, Brown said he was ready for summer.

&uot;(In kindergarten) I liked coloring, my teacher and watching movies,&uot; he said.

The last day of school meant &uot;Toy Story 2&uot; for Brown’s class.

At the start of this school year, sixth-grade teacher Myra Washington was new to McLaurin and new to the district, but next year will mean yet another new spot.

Washington will continue to teach sixth-grade language arts, but will move to Morgantown Elementary under the restructuring plan.

With several years of teaching elementary and college level courses, Washington returned to the education field this year after a short hiatus.

&uot;It was quite an experience,&uot; she said Wednesday. &uot;Words cannot express how I have really enjoyed teaching these children. I feel they have been inspired to go from this level to the next.&uot;

School will start again Aug. 5.