The start of a new school year is almost here. Getting students eager and prepared for the school year can be a full-time job.

Helping kids transition into learning is on the parents but it’s the teachers who take over once the bell rings.

Bushland Independent School District is helping new teachers have everything they need to handle the rigors of the job.

“When the bell rings I hope that my knowledge and calmness helps them to grow and become good citizens,” said Gina Blair, teacher at Bushland ISD.

That’s a goal teachers have. Blair is entering her eleventh year in the education profession and is teaching kindergarten at Bushland ISD. While working to better improve learning outcomes teachers face a number of tasks each day in the classroom with safety being the top priority.

“The parents trust you to have their kid eight hours a day and that’s very important you not only build a relationship with the kids but the parents too so they know that they can trust you,” said Hayley Maynard, teacher at Bushland ISD.

“I just try to focus on the good there are kids that come to us that don’t get the attention they need sometimes and I just want to be there and love on them and teach them,” said Blair.

Bushland ISD hired 31 new teachers. That number is up as the district is growing while seeing more teachers either retire or move into a different profession.

“I feel like education has taken a hit right now,” said Chris Wigington, superintendent at Bushland ISD. “It’s a very challenging profession but I can tell you they do an excellent job of course they wear lots of hats.”

“It’s an eye-opener,” said Cassi Hudson, teacher at Bushland ISD. “I know that it’s a smaller district but anything can happen anywhere. This is the times we live in and we have to be you know cautious about everything. People’s babies are in my classroom and it means a lot to me to be able to know how to protect them every day.”

The two-day orientation helps new teachers no matter the years of experience they have transition into the classroom, ready to inspire students to become more self-directed.

“We take care of our teachers we make sure they're safe we make sure our kids are safe and we make sure it’s an atmosphere of collaboration and an atmosphere of excellence,” said Wigington.

“It gives me joy to know that I get to relate the things that I know and grew up loving to the kids who are feeling the same way,” said Hudson.

The first day of school for Bushland ISD will be on Tuesday, Aug. 16, the bell rings at 8 a.m. The district is anticipating around 1,500 students.