Morris Middle School sixth-graders Destinee Gonzales, Kennedy Nguyen and Alyssa Walker greet the morning sun -- and a new school year -- before the start of classes on Tuesday.
Yellow school buses, congested traffic, new clothes, new lunch boxes -- and sleepy students of all ages -- marked the first day of school at Pasadena ISD campuses and around the community on Tuesday.
Campuses reported a smooth start to the school year amid what is expected to be a slight increase in the district's 2011-2012 enrollment total of 52,919.
Tuesday was the first day of school for three new elementary school principals: Michael Van Loenen at Freeman, Beverly Bolton at Meador and Stephen Harding at Pomeroy.
High school freshmen began classes on Monday. Students will attend classes through Friday and then take a three-day weekend for Labor Day.
Beverly Bolton, Meador Elementary's new principal, welcomes a second-grader back to campus on Tuesday. Bolton was promoted from assistant principal after the retirement of Darlene Davis.
Morris Middle School fifth-graders Jacob Nguyen and Bryan Orozco check the list of homeroom assignments. Both attended Atkinson Elementary last school year.
Mike Van Loenen takes questions from second-graders during his first school day as principal at Freeman Elementary. Van Loenen came to Freeman from Lomax Middle School, where he was assistant principal.
Tara Merida, counselor at Meador Elementary, greets a pair of students before the first bell.
Travis Teichelman, science teacher at Beverly Hills Intermediate, directs arriving students to their assigned locations.
Beverly Hills Principal Alyta Harris welcomes back eighth-grader Diamond Gant.
A group of Bondy Intermediate students pink out for the first day of classes.
Bondy Patriot cheerleader Nyla Santana helps new seventh-grader Kayla Cruse find her homeroom.
Gardens Elementary Assistant Principal Vicki Lenio gives a young student a welcome back hug.
Turner Elementary Principal Keith Palmer greets new students on the first day.
Lomax Middle School sixth-grade math teacher Rebecca Castaneda finds a group of smiling students waiting her arrival.
Pencils in hand, Lomax sixth-graders George Faris and David Ibarra are ready for the first day of classes.
