Hundreds of students in Durham started off the New Year with a new elementary school.

Spring Valley Elementary, located at 2051 Northern Durham Parkway, opened its doors to students and faculty Monday morning.

The school was built to hold 600 students, but school officials said about 320 students will be attending the school this semester. Officials said it will provide relief to the overcrowded Oak Grove Elementary School.

The school was supported by the 2003 bond referendum, overwhelmingly approved by Durham County voters.

For first semester of the 2008-09 school year, students assigned to Spring Valley will be housed at Oak Grove, with the same teachers and classmates that they will have at Spring Valley, so as to provide a continuum throughout the school year.

Principal Sylvia Bittle said transition was smooth and teachers agreed.