VALDOSTA – The morning rush at Sallas Mahone Elementary as kids head back to school Monday morning.
Administrators say there are more than a hundred new students walking the hallways.
Valdosta City Schools is seeing a new high record for enrollment this year.
They say they have more than 300 new students total.
Monday was also the first day of earlier start times at Sallas Mahone. This year, it’s 30 minutes earlier at 7:45 a.m.
“We’re adjusting to it and making changes around all of our schedules,” says Kira Williams, dropping off her two nieces.
VCS says a major reason behind the change was the benefit of more time for high schoolers to sleep and study.
The elementary schools now start earlier and the middle and high schools start later.
“I had to work on getting them to bed earlier knowing that they were going to have to get up earlier because of the new start time,” says Jesse Sheeley, a Sallas Mahone parent.
Like many others, Sheeley is finding ways to make it work for his two daughters.
He says the change in time and enrollment isn’t to blame for the first day jitters.
“The ride up was good and both of them were really excited,” says Sheeley. “Hopefully they have a good day.”
Many parents are falling into their new morning routine, while they watch their kids take on another school year.
