First-year teachers gear up for Wake County back-to-school

WAKE COUNTY, NC (WTVD) -- This time of year is exciting for any teacher but for new teachers, it's even more special.

More than 200 of Wake County's teachers are first-year teachers.

Christina Lane is putting the finishing touches on her classroom before the big day.

"I'm anxious for the first day of school to come and to meet all my kids but I'm mostly excited," Lane said.

Lane graduated from N.C. State in May, but before she even got her diploma, she had the job at Reedy Creek Elementary.

"I was actually hired at the school I student-taught in with the same team as well and I'm in the same classroom, which is even better. So I'm very comfortable here already and I have a lot of teachers here to kind of show me the ropes," Lane said.

Lane is one of Wake County School District's 218 first-year teachers, and the district said they're excited about her and the other talent they've welcomed this year.

"We were able to bring in some great teachers from North Carolina as well as outside of the state so we're really looking forward to the beginning of school and everybody getting here and getting started," said Jason Kennedy, WCPSS talent acquisition.

And now Lane said she's ready to welcome your kids into her classroom on the first day of her teaching career.

"I hope that they leave excited to come back the next day," she said.

With just 10 days left until the school year begins, Wake County schools are still hiring teachers.

They have about 100 vacancies still.

They're hoping to get that number down to about 70 before students come back. Classrooms that still don't have teachers will have substitutes in place.