CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – While students in Duval, Nassau, St. Johns and other Northeast Florida counties headed back to school, summer break is officially coming to an end for Clay County families.
More than 41,000 students will make their way back to more than 50 schools Tuesday. Monday, families made final preparations before the bell rings.
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For some families, the final stop before school starts is a familiar one: grabbing last-minute supplies, a few more notebooks, a new pack of pencils and maybe something special to make the first day feel a little more exciting.
“We got PJs,” Hailey Potter, a student said.
“We forgot some index cards and more pencils,” said Jacqueline Adamson, a mother.
“Different types of vitamins and stuff that she has to take to make sure she stays awake for school,” said Jennifer Cogdon.
While parents may be ready for those early mornings and more structure, their kids have mixed feelings.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to do it. I don’t want to go to school,” said Jahara Adamson, an incoming 5th grader.
But not everyone is dreading it.
“I’m ready to go back to school, see all my friends, meet my new teachers and meet a lot of the new kids too,” said Eliana Lewis, an incoming 7th grader.
Many parents told us they’re simply ready to see their children get back to doing what kids do best: learning, growing and being around friends.
“I’m excited for them. They do soccer too, so it’s just a routine. And we’re excited to get back on the grind,” said Deanna Wilson, a mother of three. “We’ve had the whole summer just to travel and have fun.”
And for some parents, the return to school can’t come soon enough.
“We’re excited for her to go back so we can get a break,” Congdon said.
Superintendent David Broskie says families should expect the typical first-week adjustment period, noting that traffic and logistics tend to smooth out after the opening two weeks of school.
For more information on school start times, bus routes and first-day safety tips, click here.