Students from Rochelle Middle School work on an assignment Monday. Photo by Laieke Abebe / Neuse News

The summer break has officially ended for students in Lenoir County Public Schools.

Students at Southwood Elementary, Rochelle Middle, Kinston High and the other 14 schools in the LCPS system began their first day of school on Monday. From kids in kindergarten beginning their very first school day to seniors beginning their final preparation for college, it was a day of reunion and getting back to work.

Approximately 8,500 students are attending Lenoir County Public Schools in the 2019-20 school year, but it isn’t just the first day of school for the kids. Many staff members are also beginning their first day at a new place with the same goal: provide kids with a great education and prepare them for the future.

One of the new principals in the county is Southwood’s Christel Carlyle.

“We’ve had a wonderful first day,” she said. “It’s really exciting to see the teachers and students begin to connect with each other. I’m looking forward to seeing these relationships build throughout the year.”

Carlyle is one of two first-year principals in the LCPS system after serving as assistant principal of Kinston High School, her alma mater. The Lenoir County Board of Education approved this decision and other position changes in a meeting held in early July.

At Rochelle Middle School, third-year principal Felicia Solomon is running a very tight ship. She is confident the 2019-20 school year is going to be a successful one for Rochelle. Solomon believes all of the kids at the school will represent the county with a lot of pride.

“It’s a wide range of emotions for the kids,” she said. “Some are excited and some are nervous about the transitions they’re making and that’s perfectly fine. We have an excellent group of teachers that are prepared to make the transition to middle school as smooth as possible.”

Kinston High School has seen some personnel changes similar to the ones at Southwood Elementary. With Carlyle becoming the new principal, former South Lenoir boys basketball head coach Jeremy Barnett became Kinston’s new assistant principal. He’s now working under third-year principal Kellan Bryant and she’s ecstatic to get the school year underway.

“The freshman class is energized,” Bryant said about her newest class of Vikings. “Kinston is a large campus, but the underclassmen have helped the freshman get to where they need to go. This year, the teachers are helping the kids set high goals and expectations for the semester.

“It’s great to see how much the kids have grown this summer and they’re ready to get started.”