Missy Roddenberry once walked the halls of Effingham County High School as a student. She’s back as a teacher, in a classroom as new to her as it is to the school.

Roddenberry is a first-year teacher in the school’s new freshman academy wing, which opened just in time for the start of school Monday.

“It’s been good, surprisingly good,” she said of her first day. “I do like it. I’m excited about it.”

Along with the new wing at ECHS, there are changes under way across Effingham County schools, not the least of which are the uniforms worn by students.

“Everybody’s wearing their uniforms,” Roddenberry said.

When Roddenberry went to ECHS — she was a Rebel for three years until South Effingham High School opened and finished her high school career as a Mustang — uniforms weren’t even on the radar. Teaching may not have been either after she finished college — she graduated from Georgia Southern University with a degree in business.

“I programmed computers for five years,” she said, “and decided I wanted to be a mathematics teacher. Here I am.”

Roddenberry is also the mother of two small children, which she pointed out to her third block Algebra students. She spent last weekend getting her classroom ready for her two classes of Algebra and one session of applied problem solving.

“I was nervous all weekend,” she said. “We just moved into the classrooms on Friday. Today, it has gone smoothly. It’s good. I like it.”

She’s also getting used to something else as a former student having returned to her old school.

“I’m facing some of my former teachers as colleagues now,” Roddenberry said.