Teachers, schools ready to welcome thousands of students to MPS

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Those bright yellow buses are preparing to roll again, as most Milwaukee students head back to class on Tuesday, September 2nd. For teachers, it has meant weeks of training workshops, lesson planning and a lot of classroom decorating.

Franklin Pierce Elementary Principal Keith Carrington can't wait for school to start.

"I've been in meetings for the past three weeks with district personnel and new staff and current staff. So I can't wait to see my kids, Tuesday morning at 7:30 a.m. So very excited," said Carrington.

For teacher Kyle Conrath, that means putting the last-minute touches on his classroom.

"I am definitely ready," said Conrath. "The smiling faces of the first couple of days of school are something that you look forward to as the summer winds down."

In special education teacher Jennifer Cook's classroom, the students aren't the only ones anxious about the new school year. This is Cook's first year teaching in her own classroom.

"I'm ready, I'm ready. This has been my dream," said Cook.

Cook wants her new classroom to be bold and welcoming.

"That in itself was the most stressful part so far because I'm like, are the kids going to like this here? Are they going to notice it there? Is the room set up the right way for them?" said Cook.

While Cook works on that, Carrington is juggling late school registration and preparing to roll out the welcome mat for the new students.

"We have an action-packed year planned for our kids," said Carrington.

For Franklin Pierce Elementary School and 144 other Milwaukee Public Schools, the bell will ring on Tuesday morning.  For start times and supply lists, CLICK HERE.