Thousands of students in the Lucia Mar school district headed back to school today, including about 105 freshman attending a new high school in Nipomo.

The district, San Luis Obispo County’s largest with 18 schools and more than 10,200 students, is the first K-12 public school district in San Luis Obispo County to end the 2012 summer vacation.

The district opened Central Coast New Tech High this morning, a new school on the Nipomo High campus. The separate school incorporates technology and project-based learning, similar to Cal Poly’s “learn by doing” philosophy.

Elsewhere in San Luis Obispo County, students have a few more days or weeks to enjoy their break. The Pleasant Valley and San Miguel districts head back to school on Aug. 20, while students in the Atascadero and Templeton districts start Aug. 22, followed by San Luis Coastal and Shandon on Aug. 23.

Three other districts, Cayucos, Coast and Paso Robles, start Aug. 27. For district school year calendars, go to www.slocoe.org and click “Calendars and Room Reservations.”