Thursday was mixed with emotions as students across Selma City Schools headed back for their first day of class.

It was a particularly emotional day for some Kindergartners and their parents.

At Meadowview Elementary School, the cafeteria was full of laughter, hugs, chattering and even a few tears as students gathered by class to eat breakfast and meet their new classmates.

For one mom, saying goodbye never gets easier. Although Tameka Myles has dropped older kids off at school before, telling her daughter Brooklyn Johnson bye on her first day of Kindergarten still didn’t come easy.

“I try not to cry because it will make her cry,” Myles said. “But as soon as we got out of the car she started just balling, and I just felt tears coming. So I kind of had to wash my face real quick and not let her see me cry. If she sees me cry — then it’s over. She’s not going to stay. It’s hard.”

Myles said her daughter has been looking forward to school, but when the day arrived, it was much harder to leave her mom than she had imagined.

“Over the summer she’s really been anticipating coming back to school, but now that she’s here, she’s kind of scared ,and it kind of makes me scared. But I’m glad she’s getting back in the swing of work and being around other children,” Myles said. “I’m glad she’s getting back in the environment where she’s learning. I just hope Brooklyn continues to excel … to grow academically.”

And taking the responsibility of teaching Johnson is Katie Godbold, a Kindergarten teacher that has worked in the Selma City School System for 18 years.

“As a momma of three myself, I know how [mom’s feel]. I’ve already left mine in kindergarten, I’ve already passed that, so I have a lot of sympathy,” Godbold said. “That’s why we’re great letting the parents come in the first couple of days letting them take pictures and see them because from one momma to the next, I totally understand that.”

The most Kindergarten students that Godbold has ever had is 18, but that’s changing this year.

“I have 23 students. This is the first time in all my years in Selma City that I’ve had this many Kindergartners,” Godbold said. “This year, surprisingly with this many children, it’s been pretty smooth.”

Between Godbold’s class and one other class, there will be around 50 Kindergartners at Meadowview Elementary this year, making the first day somewhat hectic.

“The first day back is … chaotic and kind of overwhelming all at the same time,” Godbold said. “[There’s] anxiety for them and for us because it’s a new group, we’ve got to feel them out and see what they’re going to be like and how we’re all going to jive together.”

Godbold said she is excited to begin the new school year and she is looking forward to everything that her students are going to accomplish.

“The best part about Kindergarten is teaching them to read,” Godbold said. “From the first day when some of them don’t even recognize letters, to about Christmas when they put their first words together and start reading, that’s the most exciting thing about me teaching Kindergartners.”

Following quickly behind Selma City Schools is Morgan Academy and Meadowview Christian School returning to class on Aug. 10.

Dallas County Schools and Ellwood Christian Academy follow a week later on Aug. 17.