ATLANTA — Atlanta Public Schools students are back in the classroom today, and reactions to the first day of school are mixed. While many students say they’re excited to return, others aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to summer.

“I’m excited,” said Natazla, a rising 9th grader. “This is my first year in high school and I just want to see how I’ll react for my first year, and if it’s good, I would love it.”

But not everyone shares that enthusiasm. Keegan, an 8th grader at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, said he’s not ready to go back. “The summer went by too fast,” he said.

Samuel, a 9th grader at North Atlanta High School, admitted to feeling nervous. “I’m a little scared, I’m not going to lie, but I think I can make it through.”

Others, especially younger students, seemed eager to start the new school year. Bryson, a 3rd grader, said, “Oh I’m really ready for the first day of school.” When asked why, he added, “Because I really like school and I like to learn and I like to play at the playground.” Mylah, a 4th grader at Westside Atlanta Charter School, said she’s excited too “because I can see all of my friends.”

APS Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson said the district used the summer to develop a new strategic plan and implement important updates. “The biggest challenge is improving student achievement, focusing on our literacy, college and career preparedness, those remain the biggest challenges,” he said.

Johnson also noted that after giving raises to teachers last year, the district has now extended pay increases to support staff, including bus drivers, custodians, and paraprofessionals.

Another major change this year: new limits on cell phone use during the school day. “It’s not about taking something away,” Johnson said. “It’s really about making sure our students are engaged and connected to learning. It’s really important that our students get all that they can out of the teaching and learning taking place.”

As the year begins, APS leaders are hoping their preparations will pay off in the classroom.