Chad Lundquist/Nevada Appeal Gabriel Wood listens to kindergarten teacher Judy Rand while his mother, Angela Wood, listens during his first day of kindergarten at Bordewich-Bray Elementary on Thursday.
Spiderman backpack slung on his shoulders, the young boy cautiously approaches the desk outside Bordewich-Bray Elementary School.
"What's your name," asks the woman with the apple-shaped name tag reading "Ms. Rand."
The boy mutters "Gabriel" from behind his hands before turning his eyes to his mom - watching off to his right - for confirmation.
"Welcome to kindergarten, Gabriel," Rand replies.
Thursday afternoon Gabriel Wood became one of 18 students in Judy Rand's afternoon kindergarten class. Nine of the Carson City School District's schools resumed session Thursday. Fremont Elementary School is year-round.
After his initial shyness, Gabriel soon joined his friend Jillian Smith in exploring their new classroom.
"It's really exciting, this is a whole new world for them," said Aimee, Jillian's mom. "I'm happy, but they are getting so big."
While Thursday was Jillian and Gabriel's first day of school, it was the 23rd time Rand welcomed a new class of students.
"This year we only had one student cry. This was a really good morning," Rand said. "The parents seem to take it harder than the children sometimes. Parents are always concerned on the first day."
About 30 minutes earlier, the two morning classes emerged from their first day to a flood of parents wanting to hear how it went.
Video of first day of kindergarten:
https://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20060825/VIDEO/60825002
Among them was Sara Johnson, anxiously waiting for her daughter Raiven.
"Nerve-racking, it was very nerve-racking. I was very nervous for her," Johnson said. "I'm excited but I can't believe she's that age already."
Raiven emerged, backpack in hand with a "Happy to See You" sucker from her teacher.
"It was fun, there was markers inside a pencil," Raiven said.
At the other door, James Lathropy waited to collect his daughter Andrea after he and his wife dropped her off that morning.
"It was a little tough this morning. Her mom was having a little trouble when we dropped her off," Lathropy said.
Yet the most hectic morning probably belonged to Alicia Singleton, who lost her front tooth right before she went to school for the first time.
"It was fun, we got to play outside," Alicia said after school let out. "We got graham crackers for snack."
• Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.
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