Moms and dads accompany their children to school during the first day of class Monday at Vogelweh, Germany. (Ben Bloker / S&S)

Moms and dads accompany their children to school during the first day of class Monday at Vogelweh, Germany. (Ben Bloker / S&S)

Nate Mora, a first-grader at Landstuhl Elementary School in Germany, walks out of his first day of school Monday smiling and holding the hand of his father, Air Force Staff Sgt. Carlos Mora. (Ben Bloker / S&S)

Staff Sgt. Jonathan Kufahl, left, and Airman 1st Class Adam Sterling, security forces specialists with the 569th U.S. Forces Police Squadron, barricade a road Monday, providing pupils with a safe pickup zone in Vogelweh, Germany. (Ben Bloker / S&S)

Sixth-grader Mercedes Gillon, right, studies her schedule as other students look on Monday at England’s Lakenheath Middle School. (Sean Kimmons / S&S)

Pupils follow teacher Doris Dittell at Aviano Elementary School in Italy prior to entering the classroom for their first day as first-graders. (Kent Harris / S&S)

Some parents choke back tears watching their children head to school on the first day.

Not Erica Bryant.

The mother of two greeted the first day of school with “relief.”

“I finally have time to myself,” she said.

Tens of thousands of school-age children who attend Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Europe began the new school year on Monday.

Bryant, whose husband is a staff sergeant in the Air Force, dropped off her son, Austin, 7, at his second-grade class at Sembach Elementary School before attending kindergarten orientation for her daughter, Katalina, 5.

She said it gets easier to say goodbye the older the children are. Her son had no problems heading to his new class, but her daughter is a little nervous about the first day of kindergarten. Kindergarten and Sure Start — a preschool program for at-risk children — begin Sept. 12.

“He knows what to do,” Bryant said. “He’s done this before. … She’s not so sure.”

Dawn Hoffman, a kindergarten teacher at Sembach, talked to parents about what their children can expect this year. She said making children feel comfortable about going to school is a critical first step in a child’s education. “It’s very important to get off on the right start,” she said. “I think kindergarten sets the stage.”

In Stuttgart, Germany, Patch High School students attended afternoon classes with their parents, according to Mary Kelley, who teaches ninth-grade English. Parents and students both found out about upcoming tests and reports, curriculum and teachers’ expectations. The parents “loved the fact that they know on the first day of school what’s expected of their kids,” Kelley said.

New students weren’t the only ones sporting fresh faces at school.

In Aviano, Italy, all three principals are new this year. Tim Erickson takes over the elementary school, Stephanie El Sayed is the new middle school principal and Debra Johnson now heads the high school.

Johnson said high school enrollment looked to be about 280, a bit higher than projected. She said students wouldn’t be doing any studying from their books Monday. The plan included brief visits to each class to talk about the syllabus and expectations and an afternoon open house for parents.

Across Italy, 145 pupils enrolled at Camp Darby, with a few dozen attending the high school. Livorno High is scheduled to close at the end of the year due to low enrollment.

Principal Cathy Magni said the school got a one-year reprieve from closing its doors last year. “Our theme for this year is that it isn’t over until the lion roars,” she said, referring to the school’s mascot and the impending closure.

Another small school opened its doors Monday in the capital of Turkey. Ankara Elementary/High School has 215 pupils this year.

“We had an excellent opening,” said Principal E.B. Stafford, who transferred from Rota, Spain. “It’s been very smooth and very easy.”

Turnover might have something to do with that. Stafford is one of only three newcomers. Fourth-grade teacher Patricia George is the only new instructor.

Reporter Charlie Coon contributed to this story.