Some kids around the area may very well be doing homework Thursday evening as it was the first day of school in some local districts.

"Today's your first day of school," one teacher at Rochester's School No. 23 exclaimed as students got off a bus. "Are you so excited?"

It's not easy to start over in a new school, but fourth grader Agness Okolo is ready.

"I'm very excited to go to school number 23," said Okolo. "This is the only different school I've been to."

She is joining her fellow students, armed with all kinds of supplies.

"Different colored folders, and pencils," said Agness.

The first day of school is always a busy one, with kids full of excitement and parents trying to savor the moment.

"It was hard," said Maryrose Okolo, Agness' mother. "She's not the only one. It's like juggling. You see the other one in the car. We kept trying to drop off the other one, drop off the other one, try to get to all of their teachers and say 'hi' on the first day of school."

Saying "hi" is the easy part for teachers, most of whom have been working for weeks to get their classrooms and lessons in order.

"Our room is very colorful and very stimulating so the kids want to jump in and start playing," said kindergarten teacher Chrissy Williams. "We allow that a lot in the beginning of the year, but then we start to lay down expectations gradually. And hopefully by October, middle of October, we really start to focus in on academics."

Classes in most suburban districts in Monroe County don't start until next week, but a number of districts in Wayne County as well as West Irondequoit and Rochester choose to start up before the Labor Day holiday weekend.

It's Rochester's second year doing so, an initiative started by Superintendent Jean-Claude Brizard.

"I think we just want to maximize our time with kids," said School No. 23 Principal Rhonda Morien. "Every second possible we want to work with kids, so starting early really helps with that."

An early start on an important mission.

"To have fun and learn a lot of new stuff," said Agness.

She's already met her teacher.

"Mr. Hurley, he's tall," she said, adding that he seems nice.

The kids are ready and the staff is ready.

"Teamwork makes the dream work," teachers shouted as they took a staff picture.

Now it's time to let the learning begin.