At Park Elementary, librarian Jeanie Gros greets students arriving this morning. 

Backpacks are bought and loaded with school supplies. Uniforms have been altered. Lunches are packed. The latest toy is tucked away in a pocket.

School is back in session for most of Iberia Parish’s 14,000 public school students.

Teachers returned earlier this week. School principals have been back for two weeks. But most teachers and principals — if not all — have been working all summer.

Most of the summer school renovations have been completed. Seven are ongoing, Superintendent of Schools Dale Henderson said.

Henderson said the projects at North Street Elementary, Caneview Elementary, Coteau Elementary, Pesson Elementary, Sugarland Elementary, Jeanerette Elementary and Dodson Street Elementary should be finished by the end of September.

Henderson said everything has been partitioned off to ensure student safety, and crews have worked closely with the contractors to make sure construction does not disrupt student learning.

This year is a transition year for the school system as it moves to the Common Core curriculum standards and prepares for the new PARCC assessments, which will be given for the first time in spring 2015.

Park Elementary principal Pamela Richardson said teachers had “extensive” in-service and professional development to prepare teachers for the upcoming changes.

“We’re excited about those changes,” Richardson said. “We’re excited that we have joined our nation in improving and providing the rigor in education that is needed so our students can compete with anybody anywhere at any time.”

She said the school also has changed its crisis information. In the aftermath of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, Richardson said the school has better prepared for crisis situations.

The year started smoothly for Park Elementary. Richardson said this morning it was “so far, so good.” Students were dressed in pristine uniforms, teachers were decked out in blue referee shirts. A couple of teachers were stationed at the front of school to greet all students as they entered the school.

“They get them pumped up. We just want to let them know we’re happy to see them,” Richardson said.

Fifth-grader Makhai Benoit said she was excited about playing and her new teacher.

“We get to play games and stuff. And my new teacher was my older brother’s teacher,” Makhai said.

Richardson said Makhai has been a straight-A student at Park Elementary.

Third-grader Tranae Davis said she was looking forward to the extracurricular activities.

“I’m excited about P.E. and recess, and I get prizes from my teacher,” she said.

Richardson said the school’s theme this year is “Team Park — engaging and accelerating minds.” She said the school will use the four sports that “represent Louisiana” — football, basketball, baseball and ice hockey — to encourage teamwork.

“It’s about everyone working together to accelerate the minds of students and improve tests scores,” Richardson said.