It's an exciting time for the thousands of Waterbury students who will head back into the classroom today.
NBC Connecticut spoke with the superintendent earlier this month to find out the status of what's happening in the district.
"We're in much better shape this year than we were even at the end of last year," said Waterbury Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Verna Ruffin.
Ruffin said that because in terms of school bus drivers, they have more than they ended the year with last year and have several in training.
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But she says there's still a huge need for teachers and paraprofessionals.
To bridge this gap, Waterbury Public Schools are offering alternative certification. Those who have degrees, but no teaching certification can access the training for free.
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It also applies for existing staff who want to get certified in other areas of teaching.
According to Ruffin, the district is offering new programs to students this year including a virtual academy for high schoolers.
