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First Day of School Goes Smoothly

San Diego School Superintendent Terry Grier says there have been no major problems on the first day of the new school year. This despite a number of new challenges. KPBS Reporter Ana Tintocalis has mo

First Day of School Goes Smoothly

(Photo: San Diego School Superintendent Terry Grier watches a class activity at Crown Point Elementary on the first day of school. Ana Tintocalis/KPBS. )

San Diego School Superintendent Terry Grier says there have been no major problems on the first day of the new school year. This despite a number of new challenges. KPBS Reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.
 

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San Diego Unified has a $53 million shortfall in state funding. There's a new administrative team, many teachers have been reassigned to new campuses, and school bus schedules have been consolidated to make ends meet.
 

Grier says plenty of things could have gone wrong, but so far so good.
 

Grier: It's a grand example of how we've come together on the tail-end of very harsh budget cuts. We still don't have a budget from the state. And yet we have worked together to have one of the smoothest, best openings of school that I certainly have ever had experience with.
 

Grier highlighted an elementary school in Pacific Beach that saw its enrollment grow by more than 100 students. Grier credits a new violin instruction program that attracted more private and charter school parents.
 

Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.