Starting school for the first time or returning to campus after another summer break can lead to mixed feelings. For students in Kearney and Smithville school districts, the first day of school is Aug. 20 and in Liberty, it’s Aug. 21.

With the first day of school on the horizon, parents may discover their children seem a bit despondent that vacation is coming to a close. Such feelings may stem from more than the end of summer vacation. Some students may be nervous about going to school. New faces, new experiences and new teachers can lead to anxiety. Here are some ways to help tame the nerves.

• Do a trial run. Before school starts, do a test run to the dropoff location, bus stop or pick up whomever will be carpooling together. Getting into that routine can help reduce nervousness.

• Participate in meet-andgreets.

Some schools offer certain events designed to introduce students before classes begin. Schools may host ice cream socials or picnic lunches on school grounds, particularly for younger grades. These events give children an opportunity to get to know their classmates before the first school bell rings.

• Take a school tour. If a student is about to start in a new school or will be attending school for the first time, families will want to see if they can get tours of the school and facilities. Just one glance inside can be enough to familiarize students with the lay of the land, which might make things less scary on the first day.

• Check the class list. Some schools do not provide a list of all students in particular classes, but increasingly those that rely on programs like Google Classroom or Canvas may enable students to see who will be in their class. Children also can use social apps to locate school-associated groups to find other students. Parents and their children can brainstorm how to deal with other students who may have been difficult in the past while also perusing lists for friendly faces.

• Practice conversation skills. Many modern kids have their eyes locked on devices. They may be a little rusty with ice breakers and initiating conversation. Role playing at home can give kids some ideas of how to forge new relationships in the classroom.

• Recognize and take concerns seriously. Parents and other caregivers can be receptive to conversation with children regarding their concerns about starting school. Talking about feelings can help kids tame their nervousness, especially when adults take them seriously.