There are nine year-round schools total in Durham, with Hope Valley Elementary being one of them. The calendar operates with nine-week school sessions and a roughly five-week summer break.
Hope Valley parents, like Ashley Torres, are excited for the school year. Her daughter Isabella is headed into first grade.
"We're super excited. We had a really fun summer, so we're ready to get back in the Valley Elementary," Torres said. "(Isabella is) starting to get really good at reading. So just going to that next level at reading and she's got great teachers here, so we're excited for her to make some new friends and just enjoy her year."
The district said the year-round schedule supports social, emotional and academy success while helping with teacher retention.
Eyewitness News spoke with Hope Valley Principal Ingrid Whitaker. She set the tone for the school year where the motto is: 'The power of one. One Valley, one hope, one vision.'
"We really enjoy having our students come in every day learning the possibilities," Whitaker said. :As I said about one, we want to make sure that our students excel and they can do that right here in Hope Valley Elementary School."
As students head back into the classroom, there are concerns about federal funding being withheld. District leaders say it impacts teacher training, leadership, development and other professional learning that supports in advance student learning.
Despite that, teacher are vowing to give their all.
"I love the year-round schedule," Courtney McMillon, a fourth grade teacher at Pearsontown Elementary School, said. "I love short summers. The students come back refreshed without having lost any of their learning over the summer, and we're able to just jump right in and start a great school year together.
ABC11's Jamiese Price and Akilah Davis contributed to this report.