ARLINGTON — Brayden Broetz is an old hand at first days of school.

As he started third grade at Presidents Elementary Sept. 3, his biggest transition was moving up to the second floor.

“He’s gone here since kindergarten, and preschool through second grade is on the ground floor,” said Brayden’s mom, Dacia. “He was so excited that he gets to go upstairs this year.”

Dacia has kept Brayden at Presidents because of its supportive teachers and staff, including Principal Dave McKellar, whom she credited with being friendly and interacting with the children.

“They had one janitor that Brayden misses, because he was really lovable and always joking around with the kids,” Dacia said.

When it came to how they adjusted to getting back into the swing of school, Dacia and Brayden offered differing accounts.

“I’m a morning person anyway, so I get up around this time as part of my routine,” Dacia said.

“And then you go back to sleep,” Brayden added.

“Well, sometimes I need that,” Dacia said.

Kelcey Wolfe and her daughter, Daun, kept hugging until Daun finally got to her first-grade classroom.

“She’s a bit nervous, but excited, since her teacher seemed nice,” Kelcey said. “I’m glad she’s starting first grade. It’s time. We had a fun summer, but it’s definitely time to go back.”

As they did last year, Kelcey plans to ease Daun into the start of each school day by waking up early with her and talking with her about what they’ll be doing that day.

“We even have time enough to take a walk around town,” Kelcey said. “It helps ease her into it.”

Kelcey and all her siblings attended Presidents, so she’s happy to see her daughter attend the same school.

“Presidents is like home to us,” Kelcey said.

As a preschool teacher herself, Amber Gratton was emotionally prepared for her son, Xavier, to start first grade, but for fellow mom Rose Stavang, it was a bit more difficult.

“It’s a little hard on momma’s heart,” Rose said, even as her daughter, Brynn, grinned and got out her school supplies. “She was ready for it last year, I think.”

Brynn and Rose spent the week leading up to the first day getting themselves off their summer sleep schedules, and Brynn was additionally encouraged by her new teacher.

“She has Mrs. Johnson this year, and she had her daughter, Ms. Johnson, last year,” Rose said.

Among this year’s innovations at Presidents was the opening up of online access to parents Aug. 26, allowing them to look up their teachers, which they’d previously been notified about via mail.

McKellar explained that many parents met with their children’s teachers Sept. 2, during an open house that’s been a feature at Presidents since before he became principal three years ago.

“The first year, you don’t know what’s going on,” McKellar laughed. “The second year is easier, but way more parents and kids recognized me this year. You get to be smile that welcomes them back to elementary school, which offers you more years to build a relationship with families than middle school or high school.”