Even as the other children dug into overstuffed backpacks seeking boxes of crayons, Rylan kept his gaze fixed on his parents, who stood nearby with about a dozen other parents.

His mother, Cathy Miguel, shooed him to follow the other kids' lead.

Soon the school bell rang and the sound of a bugle followed. Won had prepared the pupils for what came next, and they stood and began to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, hand over heart. And so began another year for hundreds of pupils at Kapalama Elementary School — and for many more students throughout the state.

Today and yesterday combined marked the largest return to classes for schools on modified calendars — a total of 71. By the end of next week, two-thirds of public schools will have begun the new year. The remainder, nearly 100 schools, are on the traditional calendar and will reopen on Aug. 23.

For many children, the first day is a day to meet and greet new faces.

"This is good for him. He'll learn to make friends," said Rylan's father, Ryan Miguel.

"He only has one friend from his original class last year. They all got separated," Cathy Miguel said.

For others, it was a day to reunite with friends, like the three fourth-grade girls seen catching up against a rock wall near Building B. The three had been in the same class last year, and two of them still were.

But not Tiffany Vallente, 8. "I guess it's OK," she said, a glum look on her face.

Pupils and parents began filing through the gates as early as 6:30 a.m. to find out where class would be. Like Rylan, who clung to mom and dad outside Won's classroom before school started, younger children stayed close to parents. Older children sat on walls or hung out on the second floors of buildings and occasionally yelled down to familiar faces.

Noreen Pasatiempo, 34, searched the class assignment lists as her sons, Jace and Jacob, anxiously paced behind her. She said the day was an emotional time for her.

"It's a blessing he's coming back — he just survived heart surgery," she said referring to Jacob, 8, who underwent surgery in August 2004 and is entering fourth grade this year.

Soon Jacob ran off with friends and Pasatiempo accompanied Jace, 7, to the cafeteria for breakfast. Jace said he looked forward to meeting his new teacher.

The day was one that many children looked forward to, while others dreaded its arrival.

Some were excited to show off their new clothes, like 6-year-old Dindo Venzon who, when asked why he was excited to come back, lifted one foot to show off a new pair of white sneakers.

Six-year-old Joshua followed his father, Jonnel Pagdilao, to the cafeteria lugging a stuffed Fantastic 4 backpack that was almost as big as its owner.

"He likes to learn. I think he's excited," Jonnel Pagdilao said.

A smile broke on Joshua's face when he waved to his friend Desmond in the distance. "That's his classmate from last year," Pagdilao said.

Joshua saw yet another one of his friends, 6-year-old Jason Coloyan, in the breakfast line. Jason was not so excited.

"He didn't want to come back," said Jason's mom, Michelle Paguyo, 25. "They're starting a little earlier this year."

Nevertheless, Paguyo said she is relieved that he's finally back in school, because "at least now I know he'll have stuff to do."

Back in Won's first-grade class, parents were beginning to leave. Imelda Tolentino tried to say goodbye to her 5-year-old son, Richard, but his face turned red and he broke into tears and clutched his mother's hand.

"Don't worry," she said. "I'll be back after school."

Won hurried to Richard's side to reassure him that he would be all right, while Tolentino sneaked out of the classroom. "He's not always like this," Tolentino said outside.

By the time the children finished the pledge and began to compare supplies, Richard's tears had passed.

"See," Won said, "you're going to be fine."

Correction: The date for the opening of Hawai'i public schools was incorrect in a previous veresion of this story.