It was an at-times emotional scene outside Elmsford school buildings this morning, particularly at Alice E. Grady Elementary Schools and Carl L. Dixson Primary School, for the first day of classes.

Moms and dads posed for pictures at balloon-strewn drop-off points, where their tots sported pretty  dresses, sharp haircuts and snazzy new backpacks. The scene outside Alexander Hamilton High School was more reserved as experienced students fist-bumped administrators as they made their way inside.

“Happy New Year”  was the greeting of the day as parents made their dropoffs.

“I hope you’re on your best behavior today,” one dad quipped to high school Principal Joe Engelhardt, who replied,  “We’ll try!”

“You got yourself a bigger cup of coffee,” he said to another parent, who laughed while holding up an oversized mug. 

Superintendent Dr. Ronald Gonzalez was on hand for all three schools’ student arrivals, greeting parents and students alongside principals and teachers, snapping as many cell phone pictures as anyone.

“There’s always a sense of promise and potential on the first day of school, and you can see it in the faces of every one of these students,” Dr. Gonzalez said. “We look forward to a year of academic excellence and empathy for one another, and it all starts here on day one.”