Cleveland County welcomes students back into the classroom

Thousands of students rose early this morning, caught buses and car rides, and were welcomed back to schools around Cleveland County.

Parents took dozens of first day of school photos and students with new backpacks and hair cuts were back in the classroom for their first day by 8 a.m.

This year, all four high schools are equipped with metal detectors, and cell phone policies are in place that prohibit students from using phones during the school day.

Here is a look at some of this year's numbers:

• Approximately 14,000 students attend Cleveland County Schools.
• Almost 2,000 staff are employed, making CCS the largest employer in the county.
• There are 161 buses running.
• The first of class is Aug. 14, and the last day of class is May 28.
• The first holiday is right around the corner on Labor Day which is Sept. 2.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Cleveland County welcomes students back into the classroom