Orange County is the nation's tenth largest school district, and today, after a summer off, students head back to class.

Around 900 buses will transport some 70,000 students, according to the Senior Director of Transportation Services for the district Bill Wen.

“Make sure your child has your contact information, so if any of them get confused or lost today, we can make sure they get home," he advised. "Have your parent contact number, and the bus route number. Let them ride the bus to school, then follow the bus in."

Dr. Barbara Jenkins, Orange County Public Schools Superintendent, said success, starting from day one, revolves around a solid partnership between parents and schools.

“I never want to underplay reading at home to your children, having them read to you, looking at their homework," she said. "I tell parents, even if you don’t understand calculus, still tell them, ‘Let me see your homework.’ That kind of partnership is what is most critical for student success.”

But, it’s not just first day jitters for students, or parents saying their goodbyes. It’s the first day for teachers, too, who have spent sometimes weeks prepping their new classroom.

Katherine Kelley is a fifth-grade teacher at Princeton Elementary School, who has been prepping her new classroom for weeks.

"I like a room that's bright and cheerful," she said. “Kids spend the bulk of their awake hours often with us at school. I think it should be someplace that’s warm and inviting, and, at the same time, filled with materials that they need to be successful.”

Kelley said teaching fifth graders is fun because students are just developing their personalities as they prepare for middle school, while becoming the leaders of the school.

"It's just an exciting opportunity to be able to give kids the skills that we want them to have as they move into adulthood," she said.

Monday morning, some students will be walking into brand-new, or nearly brand-new, schools. The district opened three new schools, Wedgefield School, Bay Lake Elementary and Millennia Gardens Elementary. Also, three elementary schools — Dream Lake, Lockhart and Riverside — are completely renovated. Tangelo Park was fully replaced.

"That investment creates such a wonderful community asset," she said of the new schools, using Millennia Gardens as an example. "It builds up this entire community, and it makes our children feel important that we're investing millions of dollars, the latest technology, in a beautiful new facility — and it's all for them."

Another new improvement centers around technology. Orange County will become the first school district in Central Florida to give digital learning devices to every student, teacher and administrator at all 19 traditional high schools. Some elementary and middle schools will also become digital schools.

The district, like much of the state of Florida, is growing: 5,000 more students are expected to attend OCPS this year than last, boosting total enrollment to more than 202,000 students.