On Aug. 11, summer officially ended for 88,000 students in Fulton County.

At Lake Forest Elementary School in Sandy Springs, young children – some nervous, others exuberant – exited their school buses and walked toward their brand new school. The students didn’t have to wait long for a friendly face – teachers and administrators lined the sidewalk to help them find their way to class and to reassure little kindergartners entering school for the first time.

In South Fulton, the new Westlake High School stands majestically beside its former campus on Union Road. New and returning students admired the wide hallways and artfully decorated classrooms. Landscapers provided a final touch to the grounds while students learned their way around the 326,000-square-foot school. The building is organized in five campus-like academic and administrative wings.

School bells ring in the new year