Knoxville, Tenn. (WVLT) - The school buses rolled in early this morning to Rocky Hill Elementary.

Along with 700 or more students.
Many students started the school day working patrol, greeting hundreds of excited kids.

"I'm very excited I love school all the teachers are awesome my principal is awesome," said Ellie Milikan.

"I thought she was gonna cry and all but she was really excited to be here this morning and i am as well," said parent, Sonia Rodriguez.

With the new year comes new faces and some old ones.

"We deployed to Afghanistan in June of last year. I spent all of last year over there,"said principal, Corey Smith.

But now he's traded in his camouflage for a suit and tie and he's prepping for a much more familiar battlefield.

"I'm glad to be back and glad to be back at Rocky Hill Elementary," said Smith.

"We sent him cards and wrote him letters and he talked to us," said Milikan.

"We were sad when he left and we're happy he's back," said teacher Angie Smith.

Wednesday, is the first full day for students in Knox County.