Hitting the books again

Summer came to an end for about 5,500 Greene County children and young adults as classes got under way Monday in all five county school districts.

In each district, the first day of school was reported to have gone well, school officials said. The high temperatures also didn't seem to be much of a problem for the first day of the new year.

"It's been excellent," said Dr. Jerome Bartley, superintendent at Central Greene. "I visited the buildings this morning, and everything is business as usual; we're in great shape," he said.

During his visits, Bartley said, he checked in on several classrooms and students "were engaged." He also checked in on some of the district's new teachers and they seemed to be doing well, he said. "Everything is going as planned," Bartley said.

The district will be monitoring classrooms this week because of the expected high temperatures. "We'll have water on hand and if it becomes too extreme, we'll lead students to other areas (of the school) where it's cooler," he said.

This year, the district hopes to develop its own cyberschool, working with VLN Partners, Bartley said. The district also updated its student information system using Pro-Soft software, automated the libraries and implemented an "accelerated reader" program for all schools.

The district, in addition, will be updating its "Study Island" software for reading and math. The district serves about 2,100 students.

Southeastern Greene also reported a good start to the new school year.

"So far, so good," said Bill Henderson, the district's new superintendent. "The kids are where they need to be, and everything is taking its proper course," he said.

Monday's high temperatures didn't seem to be a problem, Henderson said early Monday afternoon. The staff had left some of the windows cracked open in the evenings, he said "The buildings take a while to heat up, and the cool nights are helping," he said.

The district, which has about 650 students, started its own cyberschool this year, the Southeastern Greene Digital Academy.

It also began using "Study Island" software in the elementary school and departmentalized the sixth grade, which involves having the students taught specific subjects by different teachers rather than having one teacher teach all subjects.

The district also continues to build on its inclusion program, under which students with special needs are taught in the regular classrooms, Henderson said.

In the Carmichaels Area School District, the first day of classes went smoothly, Superintendent Craig Baily said.

"It's been a very quiet day. We're right back into the groove of learning," he said. The district had a few minor transportation problems in the morning but had worked them out for the afternoon runs. Besides that, the first day has been "excellent," Baily said.

Baily said it also appeared that many students were ready to return to school after the long summer.

He said he had talked to a number of them during the past weekend at the Coal Show and they indicated they were ready. "I think many of them may have been getting a little bored," he said.

The district also saw somewhat of a build up for the start of school with many activities, such as band and football practice beginning in August. "The first of August many (students) were already in the swing of things," he said.

The district should not have any problems related to the heat having completed the air conditioning of the junior high school this summer and having air conditioners in rooms in the high school that normally would get hot, he said.

The district, which has 1,100 students, has provided staff this year with intensive training on an anti-bullying program in the junior-senior high school. A similar program had been started earlier in the elementary school.

The district also will continue a program held each morning in the junior-senior high school that prepares students for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams. The program, begun last year, proved to be successful, he said.

Donna Furnier, superintendent at Jefferson-Morgan, said the first day went well.

"It was a great day, excellent," Furnier said. Teachers had been busy earlier preparing for the start of the school. "They were all ready to go for the first day," she said. The students also seemed happy to be back. "I think they were ready."

Though parts of the buildings seem to be a little warm, Furnier said she had heard no complaints.

The district, which has about 855 students, hired a new high school principal, David Bates, as well as a new first-grade teacher, second-grade teacher and elementary librarian.

Because of enrollment, the district started an additional kindergarten classroom and second-grade classroom. It also updated computer software and is in the process of developing a new Advanced Placement English course.

"We're looking forward to having an excellent year," Furnier said.

In the West Greene School District, the first day went "exceptionally well," district Superintendent Thelma Szarell said.

"We've had no problems, no glitches," she said. Szarell visited each of the schools and said elementary students in particular seemed "eager" to get back to school.

Several of the younger students told her they couldn't wait to return. They also were happy to talk about their new shoes and their new haircuts or what they did over the summer, she said. "It's nice to see them and greet them on the first day," she said.

Szarell said that though parts of some of the district buildings were getting warm during the afternoon, teachers were doing a good job of using fans to keep the air moving.

The district has about 800 students. This year, it will introduce eight new Advance Placement classes. It also has introduced the Study Island software at Graysville Elementary and FastForward software for reading.

The district made adequate yearly progress on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment and this year hopes to continue with that success, Szarell said.