Students return to class in Wake County for the first day of the traditional calendar year
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Thousands of Wake County students headed back to the classroom Monday, marking the first day of the new school year with excitement, smiles, and plenty of first-day photos.
At Conn Elementary School, families arrived by bus, car, on foot and even by bicycle as students began a new academic year. For some families, the first day brought a mix of excitement and anticipation. "We feel really excited," parent Nicole Grabiec said.
"This is our first year here, and Luke is excited, too. They have a lot to offer."
Students arrived with backpacks full of supplies and a long list of subjects they were eager to explore. Third-grader Luke Grabiec said he is most looking forward to technology classes, along with art and music.
"Probably technology, but also a lot of other classes, like maybe art and music," he said.
Fifth-grader CeCe Spainhour said science is at the top of her list this year. "Science, because we get to do a lot of cool experiments," Spainhour said.
As students returned to school, Wake County leaders acknowledged ongoing challenges facing the district, including school renovations, staffing bus drivers and recent air conditioning issues at some campuses. Wake County Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor said HVAC problems are treated as a top priority.
"Anytime that there's an HVAC issue, it is an immediate thing that we address," Taylor said. "We have more than 5,700 pieces of equipment, and like any large organization, there are going to be breakdowns."
Taylor noted that fewer than 5% of schools have been affected and said the district has made significant investments in replacing aging systems to prevent future problems. State leaders joined school administrators in welcoming students back to school.
Gov. Josh Stein said the recently approved state budget included teacher pay raises but acknowledged that veteran educators did not receive the increases many had hoped for.
"The overall teacher pay increase was good, but for our most senior, experienced teachers, they did not get what they should have gotten," Stein said. He said state leaders will continue working to improve educator compensation.
"We're going to keep pushing to ensure that the budget appropriately signals how much we value them," Stein said.
North Carolina teachers currently rank 40th in the nation in average teacher pay, according to state education advocates. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mo Green encouraged parents to remain actively involved throughout the school year.
"There will be assignments given to your child," Green said. "Be sure that you ask them what they are, that they do them and that they turn them in." Green also encouraged families to participate in school activities and maintain high expectations for student success. "There will be opportunities for you to participate in all sorts of activities throughout the school year," he said. "I encourage you to come along with us in doing that. Finally, expect excellence."
Taylor also asked families to be patient during the first days of the school year and to communicate any concerns directly with school administrators. The first week of school is expected to bring adjustments for students, parents and staff as Wake County's more than 160,000 students settle into their new routines.
