OXFORD — Teachers returned to school Monday and spent the morning at a districtwide meeting before heading back to their schools to prepare for the arrival of students this week.

Students in all elementary grades plus grades seven and nine were expected to return to classes Wednesday followed by students in grades eight and 10 through 12 Thursday. The staggered start is traditional to give middle and high school students entering a new school a day to get adjusted before the other older students arrive on campus.

“We are really gearing up,” Superintendent Mark Eastman told the SAD 17 Board of Directors at its recent meeting. He said 27 positions have been filled including two as late as last week.

Some of the new staff include: Robin Grant, a grade three teacher at Rowe Elementary School; Holly Lidstone, a grade one teacher at Paris Elementary School; Lacey McCormick, a grade one teacher at Harrison Elementary School and Elizabeth Nichols-Goodliff, an elementary school music teacher who will teach at schools in West Paris, Otisfield and the middle school.

Torri-Marie Pappas, will serve as special education teacher at the high school and middle school along with Megan Vashon who will teach special education at the high school. Peter Pepin has been hired as a study hall monitor at the high school and Bethany Ward as a Spanish teacher at the middle school.

Work has been ongoing all summer to prepare for the opening day.

At the Oxford Middle School, where new carpeting has been installed, library personnel worked all last week to put 15,000 books back on the shelves.

“They’re trying to put them back exactly where they were,” Principal Troy Eastman said.

All high school students will start the new school year with laptop computers — part of a statewide program designed to provide every high school student in the state with a laptop computer.

The Agnes Gray Elementary School has had major renovations completed including a new heating system.

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Rowe Elementary School kindergarten teacher Sarah Gray spent Monday sorting materials for her students who arrive back in the Norway elementary school this week.