Recruiting season for Wake County's 33 magnet schools is officially underway.

Hundreds of families came to the Magnet Fair in southeast raleigh Saturday, looking for the perfect school for their children.

Kevin and Tricia Hazzard's daughters are a little too young for magnet schools, but they still spent their Saturday jumbled with other parents.

"We wanted to get an early start, just to see what the magnet schools were all about and see if it was something we would consider," Tricia said.

The couple has done their fair share of research on the Wake County schools that offer an enhancement to the regular curriculum.

But they've also heard rumors that those recently elected to the school board plan to stop the program.

"It's a little concerning," Tricia said, "Especially since i've heard such good things about the magnet programs."

However, the new board members said those rumors aren't true.

"Catch your breath," recently elected board member John Tedesco said. "The magnet programs aren't going anywhere tomorrow."

Learning about robots built at Southeast Raleigh High School, Tedesco and board member Debra Goldman said they feel there should be some changes.

However, neither said they plan to shut down the magnet schools.

"I am amazed at what the different schools have to offer," Goldman said.

Tedesco said magnet schools are part of the changes he wants to make.

"We want to build a choice model that empowers parents and children and the magnet schools will be a compliment to that," he said.

The application process for magnet schools starts February 1.