At E.E. Miller Elementary, school-colored balloons welcomed students back as teachers and administrators clapped, danced, and cheered them through the front doors. Inside, hugs, high-fives, and first-day smiles gave way to classrooms months in the making.
Fresh bulletin boards stretched across classroom walls. Music stands waited for their first rehearsal. A book vending machine stood ready to reward young readers. Down one hallway, a colorful sensory walk invited students to hop, stretch, and tiptoe between classes. Nearby, kindergartners passed beneath a bright “Bienvenidos a Kinder” sign as they made their way into class.
Across Cumberland County’s year-round schools Thursday, those carefully prepared spaces quickly filled with students as the district officially launched the 2026-27 school year weeks ahead of its traditional-calendar campuses.
The schools—Anne Chesnutt Middle School, E.E. Miller Elementary School, Reid Ross Classical Middle School and Reid Ross Classical High School—are the first campuses in Cumberland County Schools to begin classes each year under the district’s year-round calendar.
This year’s opening comes after months of uncertainty surrounding the future of year-round education in the district.
In March, the Cumberland County Board of Education voted to reverse a decision that transitioned E.E. Miller Elementary from a year-round to a traditional calendar beginning this school year. The reversal followed months of advocacy from parents and teachers, who argued the calendar better served their families and provided more consistent learning opportunities.
The board’s decision allowed E.E. Miller to remain one of the district’s four year-round schools. The start of school also comes just months after district leaders identified Reid Ross Classical and Anne Chestnutt among several other schools recommended for possible closure as part of a long-term facilities study.
While no immediate action was taken against either school, the recommendations sparked concern among families and highlighted the broader challenges facing the district as enrollment declines and officials evaluate the future of aging school buildings.
Despite those discussions, Thursday’s focus remained on students.
‘Fast Track to Excellence’
At Reid Ross Classical School, Principal Tyson Johnson said the first day was about continuing the momentum built during the last school year.
“We’re on a fast track to excellence,” Johnson said. “We’re focusing on learning, analyzing our data, supporting both students and teachers through the process, and making sure we’re preparing our scholars for the next grade level beginning day one.”
That message extended beyond the school’s hallways and into its classrooms. In an orchestra room, students prepared for their first rehearsal as Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” played through the speakers.
As the chorus reached its familiar line, “Whoa, we’re halfway there,” the teacher used the moment to encourage students, telling them that staying on the path to excellence requires perseverance and believing in themselves as they work toward their goals.
Johnson said watching students grow over the years is one of the most rewarding parts of leading the sixth- through 12th-grade campus.
“It’s amazing to see their growth from sixth grade to eighth grade,” he said. “I even talked to my seniors this morning about preparing for graduation—and it’s truly been phenomenal to watch that journey.”
She described Thursday as a successful start.
“We’ve had a phenomenal first day today,” Johnson said. “I’m excited about what’s in store. I have great teachers in my building and phenomenal students.”
Creativity in the Summer Heat
“Good morning, Bulldogs, the heat index has reached 100 degrees, so we will not be having recess outside today.”
Just hours into the first day of school, E.E. Miller Elementary Principal Hannah Gray’s voice echoed over the intercom with a reminder that comes with returning to class in the middle of July.
Unlike Cumberland County’s traditional-calendar schools, year-round campuses return while summer temperatures are still climbing, forcing teachers to rethink outdoor activities during the hottest weeks of the year.
“Our teachers are good about coming up with other things to do with the students,” Gray said.
One of those alternatives is a colorful hallway sensory walk installed last fall.
Designed to support neurodivergent students and provide an outlet for movement, the interactive path encourages children to jump, balance, and stretch. Gray said teachers use it when recess moves indoors because of the heat or whenever a student simply needs a break during the school day.
“It’s been a huge hit,” Gray said.
Even on an unusually hot first day, Gray said she was focused on what mattered most.
“I have enjoyed welcoming a new group of kiddos,” she said. “We had some pretty good success last year, and continuing with the things we put in place last year to continue with our success this year will be vital to our overall success.”
E.E. Miller continues to emphasize its Spanish immersion program, with bilingual signs greeting families and classrooms where students spend much of the day communicating in Spanish as they build language skills through immersion.
That emphasis on learning extends beyond language instruction and into the school’s literacy initiatives. Reading achievements don’t just earn recognition at E.E. Miller—they earn books. Through the school’s Accelerated Reader program, students work toward individualized reading goals.
When they reach them, they’re rewarded with a special coin that can be used in the school’s book vending machine, where they choose a free book to take home. The incentive turns reading milestones into a celebration while encouraging students to keep building their personal libraries.
Hallways filled with motivational displays, orchestra rooms waited for rehearsals, cafeteria staff greeted students at lunch, and classrooms welcomed children back for another year of learning.
Across Cumberland County’s four year-round schools, Thursday’s first day offered an early look at the routines that will define the 2026-27 school year.
Students on the district’s year-round calendar are scheduled to complete the school year on June 11, 2027. Cumberland County Schools’ traditional-calendar campuses will welcome students back on August 24 and conclude the school year on May 28, 2027.
