The first day of school isn't just a big day for kindergartners.
It's an equally big day for their parents.
"It's hard," parent Jamie Kolbuss said after leaving her daughter Shannon in a kindergarten classroom Monday at Estes Elementary School. "You want them to do well, but when they wave goodbye to you it's really sad."
Estes and other schools in the Marana Unified School District welcomed students back from summer break Monday, but it was parents — not kindergartners — who needed consoling.
The Amphitheater and Flowing Wells districts started the new school year today.
Recognizing that the first day of school is an emotional one for parents, Estes' Parent Teacher Organization hosted a Boo Hoo Breakfast for kindergarten parents Monday.
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Estes Principal Nancy Paddock and Marana Superintendent Doug Wilson reassured the parents that it would get easier sending their children off to school each morning.
"You're in good hands, and your children are in good hands," Wilson told the parents.
Paddock offered tours of the campus so parents could see where their little ones will eat lunch and participate in physical education classes.
Kolbuss documented 4-year-old Shannon's first day of school with her video camera. "She's so ready. She's already reading little words," Kolbuss said about Shannon.
Other parents carried digital cameras and classroom supplies, such as boxes of tissue and copy paper, to help stock classroom closets.
Parents Mark and Denae Hinds had mixed feelings about the first day of school. Daughter Sydney didn't.
She's excited about riding the school bus to Estes, 11279 W. Grier Road, Ste. 100. The Hinds know it's time to let go.
"I'm excited for her," Mark Hinds said. "It's the right time. It's the next step. She can read some words. She can can write a lot of words."
Five-year-old Rafferty Coe shrugged off any first-day nerves.
"I want to learn to read and write," he said. "I can write good."
Before Rafferty parted ways with his stepfather Simon Crothers, they went over a list of rules.
Rafferty promised Crothers he would listen to his teacher, be nice to everybody and open doors for girls.
"He's been looking forward to this," Crothers said about Rafferty's first day of school. "He's a social creature. He loves other people and kids."
