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CARY -- The excitement was in the air for thousands of students across the state who headed back to class Wednesday. In Wake County, the bell rang for 108 schools on the traditional calendar today, which means more than 143,000 students in the classroom.

At Reedy Creek Elementary in Cary hundreds of students arrived early for the first day.

“I'm nervous I don't want to go all the way inside my classroom, I'm scared because I do not want to go inside my classroom and happy because I'm going in my classroom,” said Amina Elouakifi, a second grader.

There is no doubt Elouakifi is filled with emotions. Hind Elouakifi, her older sister, feels the same way.

“I'm very nervous on the first day of school,” Elouakifi said. “I feel like I have butterflies in my stomach.” Her excitement for meeting new teachers, new classmates and showing off new clothes will change that.

But the first day is about more than sporting new clothes, it's about starting with a clean slate and molding the minds of the future. The focus on math, science and reading won't change, even with a more than $20 million budget cut in the Wake County school system this year.

“It was to central services with a focus on minimizing the impact on learning and teaching and individual classes,” Donna Hargens, the Wake County Public School System interim superintendent, said.

Classroom sizes could see an impact. At Reedy Creek Elementary, 20 more students may be enrolled than anticipated.

“I can tell you that even the addition of two new students can make an impact but we'll adjust and we will make it work,” Trent Evans, the principal, said.

To make it a successful school year, administrators stress the importance of parent involvement.

“Coming in and conferencing with the teacher, and just keeping up with what's going on,” Evans said.

While parents are helping out at home, Elouakifi will make sure she's lending a hand at school.

“Make sure they're tutored, and they know how to get good grades, and get what they want and have a good education,” Elouakifi said.

School administrators said the recipe for a successful school year starts with students eating a good breakfast, doing their homework and getting to school on time.