Beaufort County students are getting back in the swing of school, as they have already reached the second week.

Amid the new classes, teachers and schedules, the start of school can be a stressful time for students and parents alike, but Beaufort County Schools teachers and administrators say they’re making sure the transition goes as smoothly as possible.

Dale Cole, principal at Southside High School, said in an email that some of the main challenges of getting ready for this school year were implementing a 25-minute advisory period for students, transitioning from three shorter lunches to two longer lunches and requiring that teachers post assignments online.

“Our teachers and students have taken it all in stride, and I am very proud of everyone’s flexibility,” he said.

Cole said the school year is never really over for teachers at the last bell, as many of them come to work at the school during the summer to prepare for the next year, despite only being paid for 10 months out of the year.

“Many of our teachers came out during the summer on their own time, and all of them were working from home to design great lessons and further their knowledge,” he said. “Our teachers love students and want to do their best, so they always go the extra mile.”

For some school employees, the start of the new school year was marked with uncertainty as the North Carolina General Assembly has yet to agree on a budget.

In an email, Alicia Vosburgh, principal at Chocowinity Primary School, said it has been challenging for her school to adjust to the budget uncertainties.

She said her school has not received some ordered materials yet, and schedules had to be redone after the Board of Education’s decision to cut teaching assistant positions and the subsequently the Board of Commissioners’ decision to offer to fund the positions.

Vosburgh said Chocowinity Primary lost two teaching assistant positions, and she has had to move the assistants to different classrooms.

Despite those struggles, the school employees are taking it all in stride.

“The staff and students transitioned back as if they were never gone,” Vosburgh said. “The staff is on go; they come in two weeks early before workdays to prepare and have their rooms set up.”

Tracey Nixon, principal of P.S. Jones Middle School, said one of her school’s biggest challenges each year comes from changing bus schedules.

She said there are address changes every year, and working out the bus routes as well as the bus arrival and departure times can be a difficult task in the first few days of school.

But after that was worked out last week, Nixon said the transition back into school has been one of the smoothest she has seen.

“The students are very excited to be back. I think they’re ready to learn. I think they’re glad to see their friends,” she said.

P.S. Jones is looking forward to starting the new book for its “One School, One Book” program as well as its new eSTEAM (science, technology, engineering, art/design and mathematics) classroom based on hands-on, technology-rich learning, Nixon said.

She said she doesn’t know if it’s being back in the school routine or reuniting with friends, but either way, the students come to school with a glow on their faces.

“It’s been a fabulous start,” Nixon said. “The kids are getting here on time. The parents have been really supportive.”