By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

For Alabaster kids attending Meadow View Elementary School, Aug. 16 brought about some bittersweet feelings.

Throughout the morning, kids got a chance to get a jumpstart on the new school year by meeting their teachers, dropping off school supplies, getting registered for extracurricular activities and much more.

Although many were excited to start the new school year on Aug. 20, many said they were surprised how quickly the summer passed them by.

Rising third-grader Dakota Logan-Balesh nodded when asked if the summer was over too quickly, but said he was excited to rejoin his classmates for their last year at the school.

“It went by fast,” said his grandmother, Kay Logan. “We didn’t get to do everything we wanted to, but we got to do a lot. There’s still one more weekend.”

For Meadow View’s first-year students, the Aug. 16 orientation day brought varied feelings for both the kids and their parents.

Rising kindergartener Maggie Fesh was all smiles and yelled “Yeah!” when asked if she was ready to start the school year.

“I’m excited for her, but it’s definitely bittersweet for me,” said her mother, Valerie. “She’s my oldest, so it will be hard to send her off. But I know she will have a great time.”

This year, MVES will welcome 13 kindergarten classes, 13 first-grade classes, 12 second-grade classes and 11 third-grade classes, said MVES counselor Alaina Key.

Key said the school hosts the orientation day a few days before classes begin to make kids and parents more comfortable with their surroundings.

“It’s a very exciting time. There are lots of smiles, but a lot of nerves too,” Key said with a laugh. “We like to do this so when they come in on Monday they will be a little more comfortable.”