Students arrive for the first day of school at Seaton Elementary in Shaw. (Photo: TBD Staff)

Summer vacation is over (sniff). Students and parents returned to D.C. public schools this morning.

Among the new things in store for DCPS students this school year:

• The brand new Stoddert Elementary facility.
• A pair of pilot food service programs designed to bring fresher, healthier food into 14 selected schools.
• Teachers who make more money than they did last year.
• Increased police presence on the Metrorail system, with a special eye toward rowdy kids, thanks to this summer's big Green line brawl.
• Yet more chances to be used as political footballs in the upcoming mayoral primary. OK, that's nothing new, but TBD did spy Fenty campaign volunteers handing out pencils and stickers to kids arriving for school this morning.