Photos: Ready or not

Vanessa Cardinale, right, says goodbye to her daughter, Esperanza Hernandez, just outside the waiting doors of Crocker Farm School in Amherst where Esperanza was about to begin her first day of first grade on Wednesday. —STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING

Crocker Farm School second grade teacher Jeff Lefebvre welcomes his student Henry Kwak to the line outside the Amherst elementary school on the first day of classes on Wednesday. —STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING

Crocker Farm School second graders Grace Dobson and Aika Takahashi chat while they wait for the doors to open on the first day of classes at the Amherst elementary on Wednesday. —STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING

Crocker Farm School first graders Odin Monesson-Olson, center, and Baxter Plunkett, left, follow their teacher, Jessica Brown, into the Amherst elementary school for the first day of classes Wednesday. STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING

Crocker Farm School second grade teacher Jeff Lefebvre hugs his former student Jahrain Whitely as he arrives at the Amherst elementary for his first day of third grade on Wednesday. —STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING

Crocker Farm School Principal Derek Shea greets students arriving for the first day of classes at the Amherst elementary on Wednesday. From left are Jacob Rhodes, Lena Grant Graud, Alex Rager and Jahrain Whitely, all third graders. —STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING

Crocker Farm School Principal Derek Shea, greets kindergartner Lais Monteiro and her mother, Nelida Monteiro, left, as they arrive for an orientation and preview at the Amherst elementary on Wednesday. Wednesday was the first day of school for first through fifth grade - kindergarten classes start in Amherst next Tuesday, the day after Labor Day. Behind the counter with Shea are staffers Terri Geffert, left, and Catherine Aldrich. —STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING