Cheryl Reed was so excited Tuesday, she arrived at work three hours early. 

A high school has only one “first day,” after all.

“I feel like I won the lottery,” Reed said from the media center at the new Gardendale High School. “It’s like getting the keys to your first new house.”

Reed is the media specialist at Gardendale High School. She was among the teachers, staff and 1,057 students who moved into the new school this week.

Despite county schools opening two hours late due to inclement weather, opening day seemed to be going smoothly Tuesday morning.

Plenty of people were on hand to ensure an efficient transition from the Rogers Building, which is slated for demolition as soon as the move to the new building is complete.

Gardendale fire marshal Rick Smith was there to make sure all of the alarms were working properly: They were.

Also there was Karen Smith Nix, a member of the Jefferson County Board of Education and parent of a GHS freshman.

Nix was working in the front office, handing out schedules and maps to students searching for their classes.

Other board of education personnel were walking the halls, helping students find the bathrooms, gym and other facilities.

Heading up all of the activity was principal Dr. Anna Vacca, who gave students no slack, even if it was the first day.

While leading a group of news photographers documenting the opening day, Vacca instructed several lingering students to hurry to class.

“As you can tell, we’re going about school,” Vacca said.

She later used the intercom system to welcome students to the new facility.

“I hope you’re enjoying the atmosphere and the new building,” she said. “This is your building to take care of.”

Up on the third floor, students in Susan Dial’s biology class were helping take care of a lab room by unpacking boxes.

Other students were booting up computers for the first time to see if they worked, standing in line at the office to get their locker combinations, or writing essays about their first day in the new building.

Teachers, students and faculty alike expressed relief to finally be in the new $46.7 million facility, which serves as a career tech center for several area schools.

“After four years of planning and building, it’s very rewarding to walk the halls and see the excitement of the students and teachers,” said Nix.

Biology teacher Susan Dial was equally excited.

“I feel like I am living a dream,” she said.