Summer vacation for over 1,750 Clinton County school students will end next week when children return to classes on Monday, August 11.

All four schools in the district have been preparing for the start of the new year and will be ready for the returning students, according to schools superintendent Charlotte Bernard. She said last week that staff across the district have been working hard over the past weeks getting ready and noted that as soon as one school year ends, preparations begin for the year.

The district has been having open house for parents and students to familiarize themselves with the staff and facilities in which the students will be spending a lot of time in the next nine plus months.

Students and parents alike can expect to see few changes this year, including the same bus route schedule and bus traffic throughout the school district as buses will begin at the middle school, proceed to the high school and eventually to the elementary school. (A bus schedule for the 2014-15 year is also being published this week.)

Superintendent Bernard said a program that will be a great help to many parents will be the free lunch program being launched in local schools this year. Also, a separate article on that program will appear on page 1 this week.

Another academic improvement, coinciding with the renewal of the 21st Century program, will be afternoon tutoring two days per week and those students will be bused from those classes. Also, all after school students in extra curricular activities will receive a free third meal at the end of the school day.

Bernard also said academically, college and career readiness last year among CCHS graduating students was 61 percent, an increase of 26 percent from the previous year. She said that overall, 74 percent of students were either college or career ready to pursue either further education or ready to join the work force.

At the high school this year, two AP courses will be added, including U.S. History and Biology.

The superintendent also commented on this past summer’s Bus Stop Cafe, noting its huge success, not only in providing meals to those who needed them, but a program that taught student volunteers a very good lesson in the importance of service to the community and others. “Some of the students who worked with Bus Stop Cafe could not express how much it meant to them or the experience they received in being able to help others,” she added.

There were a couple of grant programs that did expire, including the school counseling and PEP (physical education program), but one new program was added, that being the Read to Achieve grant.

According to Supervisor of Instruction Paula Little, the Read to Achieve program at Albany Elementary, which will be under the direction of Sabra Albertson, Reading Recovery Specialist, will cater to students in the lower grades who are having difficulty reading.

“We will try to help all (students) reach grade level proficiency in reading through the grant program,” Little said, noting the grant was awarded on a ‘continuing basis,’ or will be renewed year to year.

In addition, the 21st Century After School Program will begin Tuesday, September 2, 2014 at Albany Elementary School, Clinton County Middle School, and Clinton County High School. Programming at the schools is free to all students in Clinton County and will begin immediately after school dismisses and end at approximately 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Busing will be provided on Tuesday and Thursday. 21st Century will also partner with Twin Lakes Family Wellness Center by offering a fee based after school program for students in grades 1-4.

The following are the start/close times for each respective school: Clinton County Middle School–7:50 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.; Clinton County High School: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Albany Elementary School and Early Childhood Center: both from 8:10 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.

Total minutes each day for all schools will be 420; total non-instructional minutes, 35; total instructional minute, 385.

Supt. Bernard said all the school facilities are ready for next Monday’s opening day, saying the janitors at each school have been working very hard in preparing each building for occupancy. She then went on to thank janitors, cooks, teachers, secretaries, aides and everyone who had worked tirelessly to get ready for the upcoming school year.

“Teachers are excited for the new year to start and are focused on the instruction of all the children,” she concluded.