The big, yellow buses will

roll again early Thursday morning, Aug. 12, as the Coweta

County Schools open for the 1999-2000 school year.

Forty-two of those buses

will be brand new - just one aspect of many new and

exciting changes this year. From new buses, new teachers,

new schools, renovations and dress codes to full time

resource officers in the middle schools, the Coweta

schools are constantly changing in efforts to keep our

schools as safe, effective, efficient and productive as

possible.

Growth is one key change

agent, as the Coweta schools reflect the county's booming

population increase. The system closed the 98-99 school

year with a final enrollment of 15,473 in 23 schools.

Projected opening enrollment for the `99-'00 year is

15,800 in 24 schools. More than 130 new teachers have

been added to accommodate retirement and growth.

Two new schools are

scheduled to open this year. Arbor Springs Elementary

School will open immediately, alleviating crowded

conditions at Canongate and also serving students

formerly in the Northside attendance area. This new

elementary facility is at 4840 U.S. Highway 29 North.

School administrators are principal Mark Ballou and

instructional lead teacher Sherry Lott. The counselor is

Pam Wilbanks.

A second new school, Smokey

Road Middle School, will not be ready for occupation

until later in the fall of 1999. The exact opening date

is impossible to determine due to weather and other

working conditions. This new middle school will replace

the current Central Middle School, serving those students

as well as some students formerly in the Evans Middle

School attendance zone. The current Central Middle School

administrators will serve the new Smokey Road School.

The county's five middle

schools will experience a few specific changes designed

to enhance safety and maximize the overall learning

environment. A new middle school dress code will be

enforced this year with specific, detailed attention to

shorts and skirts length, sleeve requirements,

appropriately sized pants, shoes, and exclusion of

certain items such as camouflage clothing, chains, hats,

other head gear, clothing with inappropriate pictures,

symbols or language, and depictions of drugs and alcohol.

The new dress code will be

discussed with students and parents when school opens and

will be available soon in detail on the school system's

web site at www.coweta.k12.ga.us.

Another change affecting

middle schools is the addition of a school resource

officer at each middle school. The SRO's have been in the

local high schools since 1995 and have been extremely

beneficial in the prevention and handling of problems

related to behavior, traffic, crowd movement, safety

training and all law-related concerns.

Affecting all middle and

high schools is the requirement of mesh or clear book

bags beginning second semester. This move is an attempt

to better monitor items brought into schools in an effort

to specifically prevent weapons. Detailed information

will be provided to students and parents before the

January date at which the new regulation becomes

effective. Local merchants are already stocking these

items for students' use.

The three high schools will

begin their second year using the modified four by four

block scheduling model, in which students enroll in four

courses each semester with 90 minute classes as opposed

to the traditional six, 50-minute period day. This change

occurred in 1998 when the state board of education raised

graduation requirements. Block scheduling has been

successful in many areas and will be continued

indefinitely. The high schools will also enjoy new

foreign language labs this year.

The Coweta County Schools

have changed physically for the new year, with many

renovations and improvements. Roofing improvements are

completed or well under way at Atkinson and Elm Street.

Newnan High School's locker rooms have been renovated and

HVAC improvements have also been made. Classroom

additions to Newnan Crossing are under way, and the

Transportation facility has had paving improvements.

Proposed classroom additions are in the works for

Arnco-Sargent, East Coweta Middle, Eastside, Moreland,

Newnan High, Northgate High, and Northside. These jobs

will be bid in September 1999.

One important change yet to

be finalized is the anticipated opening of the Central

Education Center in the fall of 2000. The charter for

this unique school was approved earlier by the Georgia

Board of Education. The CEC will be a special school in

conjunction with area technical schools in which high

school students will gain valuable work-oriented skills

in classes specially designed by business and industry

experts.

The mission of the CEC is

to provide a seamless approach to transitioning students

from high school to either college, vocational-technical

school, or the world of work. The CEC is the result of

long, detailed collaboration with local business/industry

personnel and educators.

If you have questions

regarding the Coweta County Schools, please contact your

student's school or the appropriate system staff member

at 770-254-2800. Watch the local newspapers for

information related to registration dates and

requirements and other information.

All schools will have open

house soon after school starts in order to give you the

opportunity to meet your student's teachers. In addition,

you can find valuable and interesting information by

visiting our web site at www.coweta .

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