When Tri-Town students return to school Wednesday and Thursday, they'll find some new technology mixed with a lot of familiar faces.

Superintendent Bernie Creeden said some programs, such as Topsfield full-day kindergarten and Boxford's foreign language program, are entering their second year.

Boxford residents may notice the system had to cut out a bus route for financial reasons. He said more classrooms will get newer technology such as Smart Boards — a sort of computer version of the traditional chalkboard — in what may be the most visible changes.

"It's stable, but it's good," he said of the new school year. "... We don't have a lot of new things this year. We have a lot of continuing initiatives and are incorporating more technology."

Steve Greenberg, the Tri-Town School Union's finance director, said Middleton's elementary schools have been using the Smart Boards but have now upgraded the associated technology.

"We put up a lot of Smart Boards in Boxford elementary schools and Mimeo technology in Topsfield schools, which is somewhat similar," he said.

With the new technology, teachers can integrate videos or Internet materials into their lessons.

Boxford's technology improvements been partially funded through the Boxford Elementary Schools Trust.

Beyond the technology changes, Topsfield, Boxford and Middleton schools are each expecting 10 new staff members, many of them special education specialists.

The six schools' leadership remains the same.

In two ways, Boxford will take the lead: Students in grades one through six will start school Wednesday, instead of Topsfield's and Middleton's Thursday opening date. Boxford is also starting school five minutes earlier this year to give more time for learning, Greenberg said.

Kindergartners in the three districts will start on Monday, Sept. 8.

Schools at a glance

Most of Boxford's expected 920 students will start Wednesday. Topsfield expects 679 students, and Middleton has enrolled 886 students, with most of them starting school Thursday. Kindergartners start Sept. 8.

Information on school calendars, required supplies and other information is available through the district Web site, www.tritownschoolunion.com, which links to each school and district.

School bus routes are available in PDF format at tinyurl.com/boxbus08, tinyurl.com/midbus08 and tinyurl.com/topbus08.

The typical lunch costs $2 in Middleton and Boxford or $2.25 in Topsfield.