Photos: First day of school around Tucson through the years
From the Arizona Daily Star's photo archives: First day at school through the years at schools around Tucson. Tucson's largest school district — Tucson Unified — started classes virtually today, while Sunnyside School District, the city's second largest district, started virtual classes last Wednesday.
First day of school around Tucson
1977: Thumb-sucking students calm their nerves during the first day of school at Howell Elementary School in Tucson on Sept. 6, 1977.
First day of school around Tucson
1979: Principal Jo Musser plays guitar and sings to children on the first day of school at Borton Elementary in Tucson on Sept. 4, 1979.
First day of school around Tucson
1982: Meg Burda laughs as third-grade teacher Bonny Freeman reads "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" on the first day at Duffy Elementary School in Tucson on Sept. 7, 1982.
First day of school around Tucson
1993: Preston Ellis, 6, worried about first grade, gets encouragement from his kindergarten teacher on the first day of school at Copper Creek Elementary on Aug. 2, 1993.
First day of school around Tucson
1988: Crosswalk guard Alfred Ross stops traffic for kids during the first day of school at Sewell Elementary in Tucson on Sept. 8, 1988.
First day of school around Tucson
1976: Kids jockey for position during hand washing at the first day of school at Sam Hughes Elementary School in Tucson on August 23, 1976
First day of school around Tucson
1996: Crystal Everett, 14, right, eats lunch with a friend in the school cafeteria during her first day of school at Palo Verde High School on Aug. 19, 1996.
First day of school around Tucson
1998: Alexis Royal ( 5 years old) and mom Melissa Royal lend a sympathetic helping hand to Alexandra Devault who was still clinging to Deonna Devault (mom) at the first day of kindergarden at Homer Davis Elementary School on Aug. 13, 1998.
First day of school around Tucson
1999: Robin Nagore carries her daughter Toni, 15, through the halls of Salpointe High School, after they came to bring her books for the start of school on Aug. 16, 1999. The two are very tight, having spent the previous night waiting for concert tickets to Backstreet Boys, a teenage music group.
First day of school around Tucson
1999: Rincon High School senior Cam Radon already has that far-away look in Mrs. Patricia Yovonovitz's AP Calculus class during the first day of school at Rincon/Univeristy High on Aug. 16, 1999.
First day of school around Tucson
1996: Elise Gronewald concentrates intently on cutting out the monster she just colored in during the first day of first grade at Copper Creek Elementary school on Aug. 3, 1996.
First day of school around Tucson
1997: Raul Loreto walks his daughters Mariah Loreto (left),5, and Yvett Loreto, 6 (right) through the dirt parking lot at Challenger Middle School as construction continues during the first day of school on Aug. 13, 1997.
First day of school around Tucson
2003: Kindergarten teacher Elsa Leos reads to her class on the first day of new school Henry "Hank" Oyama Elementary in Tucson on Feb. 3, 2003.
First day of school around Tucson
2004: Teacher Faith Mortensen high-fives Patrick Davis, 6, who has correctly shown on the board how he got to school on July 19, his very first day at Sycamore Elementary School in Corona de Tucson on July 19, 2004.
First day of school around Tucson
2005: Going back to school isn't something to dread - it's a chance to reunite with friends. Cameron Blazevich, 15, plays Hacky Sack during a free period on the first day of classes at Catalina Foothills High School on Aug. 16, 2005.
First day of school around Tucson
2006: Brand-new kindergartner Chloe Metzler gets a farewell kiss from her mother, Victoria Metzler, before she embarks on the first day of her education on Aug. 16, 2006.
First day of school around Tucson
2006: Tucson Police Officers Dave Scherzinger, left, and Shawn Ramsey, chat with Teresa Ulmer, 10, a fifth-grader, as they monitor traffic outside Walter Douglas Elementary on the first day of school on Aug. 15, 2006.
First day of school around Tucson
2007: Kindergartener Clayton Cheung, 5, holds on to his mother Yvonne as they wait for the doors to open for his class on the first day of school at Canyon View Elementary School on August 13, 2007.
First day of school around Tucson
2007: Third grader Dylan Reichard, 8, walks ahead of his mother, Melissa and little brother Garan while on the way to his class on the first day of school at Canyon View Elementary School on August 13, 2007.
First day of school around Tucson
2008: Wrightstown and Henry Elementary Schools principal Jon Ben Asher gets a couple of high fives from students as they pass through the hallway at Henry Elementary on the first day of school on August 11, 2008.
First day of school around Tucson
2008: Second grader Morgan Ziegler stands at attention during the playing of the national anthem during a ceremony before the start of classes at the new charter school, Math & Science Success Academy on August 25, 2008, in Tucson.
First day of school around Tucson
2009: Second grade teacher, Eydie Esquivel at Wheeler Elementary School, lines up her students against the wall before going inside the classroom to talk to them as the first day of school begins on August 17, 2009.
First day of school around Tucson
2009: Ashlynn Swingle smiles at her new desk as dad Gary and mom Kristen say their goodbyes as kindergartners start the first day of school on August, 3rd, 2009 at Estes Elementary School.
First day of school around Tucson
2009: Kindergarten student Savannah Spurgiesz, 5, spends a quiet moment on a bench in front of the library with her father Ryan at Wheeler Elementary School before classes start on the first day of school on August 17, 2009, in Tucson.
First day of school around Tucson
2010: Diego Quezada, 5, right, gets a hug from his father, Juan on his first day of kindergarten at Anza Trail School in Sahuarita on August 3, 2010.
First day of school around Tucson
2011: Cindy Thompson hugs kindergarten aide and crosswalk guard Nancy Olkiewicz on the first day of school at Coyote Trail Elementary School on August 8, 2011.
First day of school around Tucson
2014: Kindergarten teacher Monica Reyes, left, gives Timothy Butcher, 5, a hug in the hallway during the first day at Marshall Elementary School in Tucson on July 31 2014.
First day of school around Tucson
2013: Antoine Green and his daughter Amerie get in a last hug before filing into the building for the first day of classes at Carrillio Elementary School on August 1, 2013.
First day of school around Tucson
Aaron Valencia kisses his daughter Cerena goodbye as she prepares to take on her first day of classes at Carrillio Elementary School on August 1, 2013. Cerena was Aaron's youngest and saying goodbye was harder than ever. "The last one," he said. "It hurts even more. It's more painful I guess than the first one."
First day of school around Tucson
2016: A brooding Gregory Leyba, 5, is not too happy even as his mother, Vanessa Ariosa tries to make things easier for him as classes start at Mission Manor Elementary School in Tucson on July 27, 2016
First day of school around Tucson
2015: New kindergarten students line up in the cafeteria waiting to go to their classroom on the first day at Ocotillo Early Learning Center, 5702 S. Campbell Ave. in Tucson on July 29, 2015.
First day of school around Tucson
2014: Ceasar Ordaz, left, tries to comfort his son Julian, 5, as he gets ready to go to his kindergarten class on the first day of school at the new Esmond Station K-8 School on July 14, 2014.
Late students held in classroom for one period. They cannot use cellphones, chat or study.
Education news from Tucson and Southern Arizona.
Vandals started fire, broke about 100 windows at Kellond Elementary; classes were canceled Tuesday.