For some, the first day of school was a return to the familiar, for others, it's an fresh and exciting new beginning.
In both scenerios, there is pressure to be the best school possible.

95 percent of the teachers and even the principal of evergreen elementary school in ocala are new, not to teaching, but to the school itself this year.
That's because Evergreen failed to meet strict requirements under "no child left behind" for several years,
This year principal Cassandra Boston says the plan is to get parents involved and to focus on helping students who need it.

"I have a job to do at Evergreen, I know it's a challenge and today we're having a great day and I know we'll get to those days that we'll be a little tougher than today."

At another school across the city, it's a completely different scenerio, but the pressure's on to maintain.
Ward Highlands Elementary has earned an "A" grade every year for 10 years.
They've only added one new teacher this year, something Principal Gary Smallridge says is really unusual.
Principal Gary Smallridge is new to Ward Highlands and says he's eager to become part of the closely knit group.