Students, teachers and administrators gearing up for school in New Jersey on Tuesday
EDGEWATER, N.J. -- It'll be back to school on Tuesday morning for kids in New Jersey.
Tens of thousands will return to the classroom. The rest will head back before the end of the week.
CBS2's Kevin Rincon has more on the last-minute preparations.
The empty classrooms will soon be filled with students, some more eager than others.
"I feel a little nervous, but also a little excited to be with my friends," said Edgewater fifth grader Chloe Doherty.
"Feels a little good. A little good, yes, because I don't really want to go to school. I want to go a little less," added second grader Zachary Kurilenko.
They were at a Target in Edgewater doing some last-minute back-to-school shopping on Monday night.
At the American Dream Mall, as kids enjoyed the rides, parents worked to find some deals.
"Pink, they had a sale, so we went for that and then this store, new to us," said Cheyenne Vargas of Cumberland County.
"And then at Angry Birds Golf we got a little water bottle, which is nice for back to school. It was on sale for $10," added Kristen Merritt of Jersey City.
They were taking advantage of New Jersey's tax-free holiday, a program that will be brought back next year. As parents will tell you, every little bit counts.
"It's a great thing for everybody to save a little bit of money," said Richard Basili of Jersey City.
"I know it's coming down now, but it's good to have that relief for parents not to have pay that extra almost 10 percent," added Hoboken's Gilda Lldra.
Among the school districts to make their return on Tuesday is Edgewater. You can be certain the schools will be buzzing with kids, parents, and teachers.
Also returning to the classroom, the state's largest district in Newark.
"For most students in the district and for most adults, it's going to be business as usual," said John Abeigon, president of the Newark Teachers Union.
Abeigon said the summer was spent welcoming in new staff.
"We're getting new hires literally every hour. Unfortunately, we're also getting last-minute resignations," he said. "It might be a little bit of musical chairs, but we're prepared for it. We're ready."
The return to the classroom in Newark will almost be back to normal. There won't be any temperature checks, health screenings or weekly testing, but masks will still be required.
CBS2 will have complete back-to-school coverage on Tuesday morning. The superintendent of Newark Schools will join us live on our streaming service CBS News New York during the 7 a.m. hour.
