Thursday, Aug. 07, 2008

It's time to head back to class in Bibb County

Hundreds of Bibb County public school students will start the new school year today in a different school because of redistricting changes, school choice transfers and the opening of a new high school in northeast Bibb County.

The changes have school officials doing a lot more guesswork this year about where some students will attend.

"It's become more challenging," said Ron Collier, the Bibb County school system's chief financial officer. "We just had redistricting, and anytime you open a new school, it creates a challenge on its own."

Student school choice transfers add to that uncertainty.

The school system predicts to have almost 24,400 students this school year, an increase of about three dozen students systemwide compared with last school year.

It's the mobility of students within the system that could create challenges with bus routes or staffing.

It could take school officials up to a week to calculate each school's student enrollment to know what any of the attendance changes mean, Collier said.

More than 1,500 students were rezoned to a different school for this school year as part of a systemwide redistricting plan approved by the school board in January.

A new Howard High School that opens today already has about 700 students signed up to attend, and they'll have a dress code to adhere to. That's more than an earlier projection of 650 students, principal Karen Yarbrough said.

"Every day we're getting more students," she said. The high school has drawn students as a result of redistricted neighborhoods in the Central and Westside high zones, from home-schooled students and private schools in the area, she said.

Also this school year, more than 500 students have asked for a school choice transfer to attend a higher performing school.

There are about 9,500 eligible students in schools considered "needs improvement" under the No Child Left Behind law that are allowed to transfer this school year. Students have until Sept. 4 to register, so more requests will probably come.

"How many will request a transfer, we don't know. We're still trying to get through all that," Collier said. Superintendent Sharon Patterson could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

But school officials do have a handle on faculty members and school facilities for today.

Dan Ray, an assistant superintendent for human resources, said the school system has just five teacher vacancies this school year, one at the middle school level and four in high schools.

"Elementary schools are 100 percent staffed for the first day of school," Ray said, adding it could be a milestone for the school system. "That is encouraging. With our size district, it is very unusual to have no vacancies" at the elementary level.

This time last year, school officials had about 20 substitutes filling in at all school levels as a result of teacher vacancies.

School officials also said Westside High, which was closed in May after being damaged by a tornado, is repaired and ready for students.

"We have some minor things to wrap up, but the school is ready to use," said David Gowan, the system's director of risk management.

Workers just finished roof repair at Westside, but they are still working to repair a field house roof there.

Southwest High School and Barden and Rice elementary schools, which also had minor damage from the tornado, have also been repaired.

Other new changes this school year include new principals at Miller Middle, Rice Elementary, Jones Elementary and Williams Elementary schools.

An Early College Program for 66 seventh-graders will begin today at Hutchings Career Center.

Those students' aim is to graduate as seniors with some college credit already.

The Bibb County school board also has put in place a new "cyberbullying" policy, as well as more flexibility for students to carry cell phones this school year.

Students are now allowed to bring cell phones to after-school activities to call their parents. Students cannot have cell phones on them during school hours.

Students are to store the devices in lockers or in automobiles during the school day and turn them off, according to the 2008-09 Student Code of Conduct.

If phones ring or make noise during the school day, they will be confiscated by campus police, who will charge a $25 return fee. Students must also submit a note authorizing them to have a phone at school.

To contact writer Julie Hubbard, call 744-4331.