The poignancy of a young boy and his parents helping him get ready to go to school was portrayed in the painting, “His First Day of School,” by Norman Rockwell.

Last week, there were a few tears shed, both by students and parents, but Spanish Fort Elementary had plenty of tissues on hand, said Principal Becky Comer.

“Everybody has butterflies the first day of school,” Comer said.

Like many of the 93 staff members, including 54 teachers, Comer still gets jittery the first day of school, even though she is going into her 34th year of teaching.

Morning announcements were given on closed circuit televisions in classrooms and the school opening was remarkably smooth, Comer said.

“The principal took one of my children back to her classroom and my other child’s teacher was waiting for him at the classroom door,” said parent Jennifer Vought.

Vought is the parent of 8-year-old Robert who entered third grade, and 7- year-old Rilly who entered second grade.

Vought said her children felt very welcome, especially since they just moved here from Huntsville.

Another parent, Lauri Fuller, has a 5-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, who entered kindergarten.

Fuller said she felt good about the way things went for her daughter’s first day at school.

“She wandered off in her classroom and started socializing,” Fuller said of her daughter’s reaction to her class.

Naja Hadad said his family has been preparing his son Nabeel for this memorable day.

“It’s the beginning of a new era,” Hadad said.

Nabeel’s 3-year-old sister seemed a little sad that she was still too young to start school with her brother, Hadad said.

The biggest adjustment is for kindergartners, sixth graders and any child who has just moved here, Comer said.

Sixth graders have a big transition too as this is the first time they have to move around to different classes and have lockers.

“It can be a little bit scary,” Comer said.

To help with the transition, a PTA meeting at Spanish Fort Elementary will be held in a few weeks in an effort to answer questions parents may have, Comer said.

In any event, dangling from wristbands or shoulders, cameras were brought by many parents to capture their children’s first day of school on film and they will wait in anticipation for the school ending bell to ring.