Summer vacation is officially over for hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District students who headed back to the classroom for the first day of school Tuesday, and the occasion brought mixed emotions in some students.

The nation’s second-largest district is hoping to get off to a smooth start after many students were left without class assignments at the beginning of 2014 due to a malfunctioning records system.

But for the younger students, it’s the smaller picture that was in focus Tuesday.

“Different teachers, different classes, different wallpaper and different clothes,” were on Analia’s mind as she began the third grade, the little girl told KTLA.

When little Andrew Macias was asked if he would miss his mother during his first day of pre-kindergarten at City Terrace Elementary School, the young man firmly said “no.”

Then he paused a second and began to tear up.

Seconds later, Andrew’s mom gave him a hug off camera.

Meanwhile, LAUSD officials were optimistic about the 2015-16 academic year.

“We feel good that students are in the right classes,” Principal Jack Foot of Jefferson High School told the Los Angeles Times. “We had kids pick up their schedules last week.”

The district is also in search of a replacement for Superintendent Ramon Cortines as the school year begins.

The 83-year-old Cortines, who came out of retirement to take the job, has stated he would like to step down by the end of the year.

“We are asking the best and the brightest to come forward. … The board is set to create a process by the end of the month … and yes we will select a superintendent this academic year,” said LAUSD school board member Monica Garcia.

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