After a short summer, school is back in session in Wareham.

Students filed into Wareham Schools by the busload Monday morning, just nine short weeks after school ended on June 29.

Despite the quick summer, all the students appeared focused and eager to see their friends and start a new school year, according to the principals at each Wareham School.

"There's lots of great energy from students, parents and teachers," said Donna Noonan, principal of Decas Elementary School, the K-2 school where Wareham kids start their school careers. "This is the day you've waited for the last couple of weeks. ... Then the kids come through the doors with hugs and smiles, and they're ready to go to work."

One thing the principals at each of the four schools in Wareham agreed on was that it was a hot first day.

"I would not have minded if it was a couple degrees cooler," said Middle School Principal Dan Minkle.

Minkle said it was a very successful first day for the 800 students, grades 5 through 8, who entered the school on Monday.

"Everything went off without a hitch," he said.

This is the third year Wareham has had fifth-graders in the Middle School. Minkle said he enjoys having them in the building, because they make the building feel younger. He added that the teachers do a great job of relaxing some of those students' anxieties of transitioning from an elementary school to a middle school.

"We're stronger than ever in terms of our staff," he said.

Across town at the Minot Forest School, Wareham's third-and fourth-graders started their school year.

"The fourth-graders are proud to be the big kids in the school," said Minot Forest Principal Joan Seamans. "I saw a lot of smiling faces, and kids happy to be at school."

At the High School, it was all smooth sailing, according to High School Principal Scott Palladino.

"Everything went real well, we had a good day," he said. "Everyone was prepared and focused and knew where they needed to go. It was pretty quiet."

Palladino said he was interested to see how the students would react to the short summer. He said returning this early meant that there was no chance school would be ending later than this past year, no matter the number of snow days.

"I think we'll all appreciate it this winter," he said.