Michael Hreben was excited about the start of a new school year Monday but was "depressed that summer wasn't longer."

When the Martic Elementary School fifth-grader walked into his colorful new school, however, excitement won out.

The 10-year-old couldn't stop raving about the bright blue and yellow classrooms, the new desks and storage cubbies, the upgraded playground equipment and the air-conditioned corridors of his school, which underwent a $5.8 million upgrade over the past year.

"It was really nice," he said of the Penn Manor School District school. "It's better than I thought it would be."

Michael was one of nearly 54,000 Lancaster County public school students who started the 2009-10 year at 15 districts Monday.

Despite the huge influx of pupils — and hundreds of school buses on county roads — in a single day, officials reported few problems.

Some said the cool weather Monday may have helped students and staff members make a smooth transition from leisure to learning.

"Maybe because it's fall weather, they're thinking, 'You know what? It's time to go back to school. Summer's over. The heat's gone,' " Carly McPherson, the new principal at Martic, said.

"We haven't had any issues. (Students) walked right into the building, they found their classrooms and we got started with the day."

Officials at other districts also reported smooth starts.

In Cocalico School District, some elementary school students shed a few tears — a fall tradition — but the first day went smoothly, superintendent Bruce Sensenig said.

Students returning to Maytown Elementary School in Donegal School District found some new paint and a repaired roof at their school. The district also is installing a new boiler.

The repairs are being made to keep the school running until Donegal residents decide in a November referendum how the district should proceed with school upgrades.

"Our motto at Maytown is 'Keep them warm and keep them dry,' said superintendent Shelly Reidel, who reported that all went well throughout the district Monday.

Twenty-three new Donegal teachers, primarily at elementary schools, greeted students Monday, she said.

In the Elizabethtown Area School District, the state Department of Transporation delayed some construction work on East High Street in front of the high school, which helped make the first day go more smoothly for students and staff, district spokesman Troy Portser said.

At Garden Spot high school and middle school, a $25 million construction project is under way, but traffic moved well through the site, Bob Hollister, superintendent of Eastern Lancaster County School District, said.

"I am thrilled," he said. "Despite all the construction and everything, we had a very smooth opening, not only at the secondary schools but throughout the district."

Students returning to Columbia Junior/Senior High School also had to contend with construction, along with some room changes, as part of a $17 million renovation project.

What was once the band room is now the library, and the band room has moved to the school stage.

The current library and surrounding area are being renovated into classrooms for seventh- and eighth-graders, Columbia Borough School District superintendent Barry Clippinger said.

Even with the changes, the first day for Columbia students went smoothly, he said.

Octorara School District also is overhauling its secondary campus. It, too, experienced few construction-related glitches, superintendent Thomas Newcome said.

Over the summer, the district rerouted traffic on the site, separating buses and cars, which seemed to work well Monday, Newcome said.

Manheim Township School District reported a few late buses Monday morning, but that was to be expected on the first day, spokeswoman Marcie Brody said.

Brody said she was not aware of any other problems.

Pat Hallock, superintendent of Pequea Valley School District, said it was nice to see students back in classrooms.

He greeted pupils while touring classrooms and lunchrooms throughout the day Monday.

"It's always exciting to have students return," he said. "In the summer, it's lonely without them. We're all about kids, and it's nice to see them back."

Other districts that reopened Monday were Hempfield, Conestoga Valley, Ephrata, Lampeter-Strasburg, Manheim Central and Solanco.

Lancaster Catholic High School freshmen and transfer students also started Monday; today, upperclassmen return.

Thursday will mark the start of classes for School District of Lancaster students, with the exception of McCaskey High School upperclassmen, who return Friday.

Warwick will be the last district to open for the new year when its students return Sept. 9.

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