The calendar says we are still in the middle of summer, but that somewhat short season will basically end for teachers and students alike in the Clinton County School District, as classes for students will resume on Tuesday, August 7 for the 2012-13 school year.

It will be somewhat of a transition year for the school district, with a new superintendent as well as a new Director of Pupil Personnel, that being Julie Daniels, who was transferred from the now deleted position of Director of District Programs to the new position. That position had previously been held by first year Superintendent Charlotte Bernard.

Supt. Bernard said in an interview late last week that things were being done to get the schools ready to open for classes and that other than some changes in personnel, as is usually the case from school year to school year, there will be no major changes for students to expect.

Bernard said she expects the school year to go well despite the transitions and said she had met with all personnel, including cooks, custodians, bus maintenance and drivers, etc. and informed them of her expectations for the upcoming school term. “I am eager to work with everyone and I plan on being on-site at the various schools much of the time,” she added.

As far as the school calendar itself is concerned, it is similar to those in years past, with the usual mid-fall break coming October 15-19, which leads into the Foothills Festival weekend. Christmas break will run from December 20 through January 1 and spring break will be a bit lengthier, including the entire first week of April and running through April 8 which is set aside as a professional day for teachers only, meaning a six-day break next spring.

The calendar, which is tentative and subject to change, calls for the last day for students to be May 10, but there are a total of 11 make-up days built into the calendar to make up for days missed due to illness, inclement weather and so forth.

The only change that some may notice in the calendar from the last couple of years is that the Thanksgiving Holiday will be extended, with classes being dismissed the Wednesday before Thanksgiving day, making that a three-day break for students.

Although previously published, the following is a reminder of each schools bus unload, start and pick-up times for the upcoming year:

* Albany Elementary will unload at 7:20 a.m., school will start at 7:40 a.m. and pick-up will be at 2:38 p.m.

* Clinton County Middle School will unload at 7:25 a.m. with classes beginning at 7:50 a.m. and pick-up at 2:48 p.m.

* Clinton County High School will unload at 7:30 a.m., classes will begin at 8 a.m. and pick-up will be at 2:58 p.m.

* Early Childhood Center unload will be at 7:30 a.m., classes at 7:50 a.m. and pick-up at 2:42 p.m.

There are 170 instructional days built into the calendar with six hours and 15 minutes of instruction and 43 minutes for lunch and breaks for a total school day of six hours and 58 minutes.

There are a couple of federal programs that have expired due to grant funds running out, including the Safe Schools Healthy Students initiative and GEAR-UP.

Instructional Supervisor Paula Little said, however, that the local school district is participating in a couple of new Kentucky programs, including Advance Kentucky. This program is an effort to enroll more students in advanced placement at the high school level and improve the percentage of those scoring at a level to receive college credits while in high school.

Another program is called Race To The Top, which for the past couple of years, has been providing training and support to local teachers and staff in implementing the new statewide testing system, CIITS (Continuous Instruction Improvement Technology System).

Little said the latter program was in the transitioning phase statewide and local staff have been working the past two years to align with the common core standards, heightening the levels of scoring in math and reading and eventually new science standards that will be announced this December.

Supt. Bernard also stressed the importance for student attendance and being to school on time. She said Daniels, in her new position of DPP, has already mailed letters to parents in regards to student attendance rules and expectations.

“It’s important for a student to arrive on time and attend every day,” Bernard said. “You can’t make up a day that is missed.” She added that no matter how great the instruction (in class) was on a given day, it will do a student no good if they aren’t there to receive it.

The new superintendent also noted that if a student had any problems during the school term, they should first talk to their teacher(s) and for parents to contact the school principal, who can in turn set up a meeting with the teacher or teachers if necessary.

Both Bernard and Little also advised parents to read the Code of Pupil Conduct and Attendance, which addresses in detail the regulations and expectations of students.

Bernard closed by saying she welcomed all students, parents, teachers, staff and community members to talk with her at any time about any school district related issue, saying her office “had an open door policy” towards the public.