Twenty

thousand students are expected to fill the

classrooms of Fayette County's 23 elementary,

middle and high schools this Monday as another

year of classes begins.

"We

plan to focus on increasing academic achievement

through our local school improvement

program," said Fayette County School

Superintendent John DeCotis, noting one of the

system's key goals for the 2000-2001 academic

year. "We will also be implementing the new

character education program mandated by the

state," he added.

Words

like respect, dependability, compassion,

fairness, self control and responsibility will be

incorporated into the curriculum as a means of

instilling values into students in kindergarten

through 12th grades.

Fayette

County schools have had a character education

program in place for years at the elementary and

middle school levels and will expand it to high

schoolers this term, primarily during home room

time. Character education is now a requirement

for all Georgia public schools. As of July 1, the

state Department of Education mandated the 27

terms to be taught.

"Character

education is linked to better discipline,"

said Stuart Bennett, Fayette's assistant

superintendent for curriculum and instruction, at

a recent board meeting. "I've never been a

fan of legislation regulating curriculum, but

this is truly a good thing."

The

local school improvement program, according to

DeCotis, is a collaboration of state, regional

and local resources designed to upgrade specific

areas of weakness in a school. "All of them

[schools] are participating," DeCotis said,

"with some schools receiving more help than

others."

Another

program that seeks to improve students' skills is

the Pay For Performance program. Grants are

available from the state, offering financial

rewards to schools for meeting predetermined

goals. DeCotis said several Fayette County

schools are currently enrolled in the program.

Another

area of concern for DeCotis and the Fayette

County Board of Education is determining how to

accommodate student population. A meeting of the

board's facilities advisory committee was

scheduled Tuesday night and DeCotis was

optimistic that some recommendations might be

forthcoming.

Fayette County starts

the school year with 50-plus portable classrooms.

J.C. Booth Middle School and Fayette County High

School will use between 10 and 12 trailers apiece

to accommodate the student overload. Mike

Satterfield, the school system's facilities

director, said approximately 30 portables have

been relocated around the county during the

summer to meet demand.

With the expansion of

North Fayette Elementary School completed, that

school's portables have been removed. Flat Rock

Middle School also was able to release its

trailers following a classroom addition completed

early in the year. Fayette and Rising Starr

middle schools each have about 10 portables on

the grounds for classroom and athletic use.

Satterfield said work on middle school additions

at Booth, Fayette and Whitewater middle schools

is expected to begin by October.

School transportation

director John Thompson said his drivers will be

running 155 routes starting Monday. "The

best thing for people to do on Monday is be

patient. We'll be taking a little extra time with

the elementary routes," he predicted.

Thompson advised drivers to "pay

attention" on the road, especially with more

cars and parents at the schools on the first day.

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