Monday is the first day back to school for year-round students in Durham. Five schools will open and 3,400 students will go back to class.

Those schools are Easley Elementary, Pearsontown Elementary, Holt Elementary, Rogers-Herr Middle and Chewning Middle.

Many of those students will be making a transition from one school to a new one

At Chewning Middle, teachers are trying to make that a little easier on students.

The days of Junior High, where someone hands you a schedule and wishes you luck , are over for 6th graders at Chewning.

Now instead of finding their way, teachers are leading them through the transition from elementary to middle school.

"They're not just throwing (them) in the deep end and saying, " swim, " they're making it a lot easier for the students and I think that's actually part of what she's looking forward to and helping her ease the transition," said Tom Brubaker, father of a 6th grader.

His daughter, Kaitlyn Burbaker is also making the switch from a traditional to a year-round schedule.

"I was actually glad that I get to start middle school in July because I like school better than summer because summer can be kind of boring, unless you're on vacation or something," she said.

At Chewning teachers help students with the transition by walking with from class to class teaching them how to be more organized and helping them get ready for high school

"When they get to high school they need to really they have to be mentally ready for that level of independence for that level of responsibility and here in middle school, this is where they're suppose to get that, I hate to say it, training," said teacher, Tanya Harris-Fuller.

Teachers are also preparing kids for the step after high school they teach kids techniques to help prepare them for college.

Related Links

1. Durham Public Schools