Editor’s note: Thursday was the first day of school in the Natchez-Adams School District.

7:30 &045; 8:30 a.m. &045;&045;

West Primary School

Kristie Calhoun didn’t really expect her morning to start off like it did.

Since Calhoun’s son Brandon Brown attended pre-kindergarten at West Primary School last year, mom didn’t foresee the tears that came when she tried to leave.

&uot;I don’t know what’s wrong with him,&uot; Calhoun said after spending nearly an hour trying to calm her son. &uot;He didn’t cry on the first day of preschool.&uot;

Calhoun brought Brandon to his new class with new teacher Diane Verucchi at 7:30 a.m. The tears started shortly after.

Calhoun promised Brandon she’d accompany him to the cafeteria for breakfast in an attempt to calm him. &uot;I just kept telling him to be quiet, that he was a big boy,&uot; Calhoun said. &uot;I promised, that’s why I didn’t want to leave him there.&uot;

As 8:30 approached and the kindergartners finished breakfast, it was time for Verucchi to come to the rescue. &uot;I asked him to be my leader,&uot; Verucchi said. &uot;He’s been in a lunchroom before and it was easier for him to feel comfortable.&uot;

After Brandon led the class to put away their lunch trays and head back to the classroom, Calhoun was able to slip away. &uot;I’ll go get ready for work now,&uot; Calhoun said. &uot;Brandon made this hard today.&uot;

10 a.m. &045;&045; McLaurin Elementary School

For the sixth-grade teachers a period without the students meant time to regroup. The teachers huddled in a classroom to review plans for the year and encourage each other.

The sixth-grade hall at McLaurin has a new home this year, the former fifth-grade hall, and teachers use whistles to change classes.

For Myra Washington, the first day of school wasn’t only new to her students. &uot;I’m new to McLaurin, but not new to education,&uot; Washington said. &uot;I’m very excited about my career here and being a part of the McLaurin team.&uot;

The other teachers shared Washington’s enthusiasm for the new year. &uot;The day started off well,&uot; social studies teacher Patricia Foster said. &uot;I got a good feeling in the hallway from the students.&uot;

11:20 a.m. &045;&045; Robert Lewis Middle School

Takenya Washington, who threw her lunch away because it didn’t suit her taste buds, spent her lunch period talking to old McLaurin friends.

&uot;We did have four classes and now we have seven,&uot; the new seventh-grader said. &uot;I got lost a few times this morning, every time I went to all my classes.&uot;

More classes mean more electives at the middle school level though, and Washington admitted she was excited about taking Spanish.

&uot;You can learn more about a different language, and if you go somewhere where they speak it you can talk to them.&uot;

The seventh-grade lunch period, which lasts 20 minutes, was over with the ring of a bell, and Washington and her four friends from McLaurin were separated and herded to fourth period very quickly.

Noon &045;&045; Morgantown Elementary

Dekota Johnston wasn’t as lucky as Washington during his lunch period.

Johnston, a third-grader, moved to Natchez over the summer from Alabama and hasn’t had very much time to make friends.

Though he was silent at lunch, he didn’t seem very worried about the new surroundings.

&uot;I said ‘cool,’&uot; Johnston said when his parents told him they were moving to Natchez. &uot;(I’m looking forward to) working a lot. I like math.&uot;

Johnston, one of about five Morgantown students new to Natchez, has a little help for the tough times though.

&uot;We try to assign a child to show him where to go,&uot; Johnston’s teacher Julie Caldwell said. &uot;But so far he’s been very talkative and seems to be adjusting.&uot;

Elementary age students tend to adjust well, Morgantown guidance counselor Mary Washington said.

&uot;They forget about where they came from and just fit right in,&uot; Washington said. &uot;We do have counseling sessions with the new kids at the beginning and we follow up later on.&uot;

3 p.m. &045;&045; Natchez High School

It was the first of the last for Joseph Rachal and the members of his seventh period senior English class.

And they all know this year is different. This year they rule the school.

&uot;I feel good,&uot; Rachal said. &uot;A lot like a father to a lot of kids. They look up to me.&uot;

The last assignment of the day for the seniors in Frances Doss’ English class was quite telling.

&uot;Tell me your goals for high school, your goals for the year, for life,&uot; Doss told the students as they worked on rough drafts of the assignment due Friday.

Rachal, who tore up his paper once and started over, had some goals in mind already.

&uot;I want to be on the honor roll. I want to graduate,&uot; Rachal said. &uot;I’m still thinking about after that.&uot;