CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL PLANS NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION ON AUG. 21

Summer fun will end for approximately 1,000 Central Senior High School students when they start back to school on Aug. 27.

All students are required to meet the first day at 7:45 a.m. in the auditorium for a class assembly and then report to their individual homerooms.

School officials have planned orientation sessions so that new students can become familiar with the building and the staff.

Sophomore and transfer students may elect to attend either a 9:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. orientation session on Aug. 21 in Room 54.

"The purpose of the orientation is simply to make the high school a little more familiar to new students," said Principal Dan Milligan.

"We'll go over some of the guidelines, and Student Council members will give a run-down on all the extracurricular activities available to the students," he said.

Tours of the building will also be conducted so students won't get lost on the first day, Milligan said, and the counselors will talk about the types of services available through the guidance office.

He said parents are welcome to attend. Staff members will be on hand to answer questions.

Even though the orientation session is optional for new students, the attendance is usually relatively high, said Milligan. He expects 50 or 60 students to attend the first session, and about 100 to attend the second.

"The orientation is beneficial because it helps the students to get to know some of the people, such as the principal, assistant principal and guidance counselors," said Milligan.

Before changes were made last year, students didn't receive their class schedules until the first day of school.

However, due to the successful change, Central High counselors will again be distributing schedules to students late in August in an attempt to better serve student needs and to facilitate the opening of the school year, Milligan said.

Necessary program changes will also be made at that time.

"Receiving a schedule ahead of time allows students the opportunity to look at their schedule and deal with problems before the first day of classes," said Milligan. "It's very good because students don't have to wait to see a counselor and make schedule changes."

Students can pick up schedules and talk with counselors on the following days: seniors, Aug. 12 and 13; juniors, Aug. 14 and 17; and sophomores, Aug. 18 and 19.

Enrollment for new students is planned for Tuesday through Aug. 26.