SOUTH DEERFIELD — Three years removed from the first COVID-19 school year and a year since all schools officially returned to normal operations, anxious feelings about masking have been replaced with the more typical worries of starting a new school year.

As Frontier Regional School began its academic year Tuesday — joining Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District on Monday as the first two in the region to kick off the school year — administrators and students alike said it felt like they had a normal year ahead of them.

“It’s business as usual,” said Darius Modestow, superintendent of the Frontier Regional and Union 38 school districts.

Echoing Modestow was Frontier Principal George Lanides, who said the school will be focusing on building up programs and initiatives implemented in recent years because things are finally starting to feel like pre-pandemic times.

“It really is like we’re back to normal, in a good way,” he said, noting Frontier has built up a lot of experience in dealing with the pandemic since the school reopened for hybrid learning in 2020. “It’s lovely to be back and it’s wonderful to see the students. I’m hoping for a great year.”

While there aren’t any grand initiatives on the scale of the Innovation Pathways early career program that was implemented in 2022, several schools in the Frontier and Union 38 districts received some facility upgrades through capital appropriations approved by Conway, Deerfield, Sunderland and Whately residents. Among those are floor and air conditioning upgrades, as well as the installation of high-efficiency boilers and repaired tennis courts at Frontier.

Lanides said a lot of the staff’s focus will be on professional development this year, including the use of artificial intelligence by students in schools through a partnership with the University of Massachusetts. He said the growing prevalence of AI and how teachers can work in a world with programs like ChatGPT is something that the faculty has been requesting some guidance on.

With students greeting old friends in the main hallway, the familiar feelings over navigating a new school and making new friends returned.

“It’s scary because I have no idea where I’m going,” said ninth grader Riley Hayes-Golding. “I’m also excited to see my friends again.”

Standing beside Hayes-Golding was fellow freshman Sadie Sullivan, who also said it was a little “nerve-wracking” preparing for her first year of high school, but she was also ready to take on advanced classes, as well as participating in the school band and drama club.

And for some of the older students, it’s a chance to start the year off strong and learn some new things.

“I’m pretty excited,” said junior Izac Wormgoor, highlighting the chance to take some new classes. “New year, new start.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.