RETURNING STUDENTS WILL SEE SOME SCHOOL CHANGES

Students returning to classes this month will see physical, curriculum and personnel changes at a number of area schools.

One of the major changes this year is the opening of a new high school. Saxony Lutheran High School will open Aug. 21 in classrooms at St. Andrew Lutheran Church at Cape Rock Drive and Kingshighway. It will be the first Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod high school in the area.

The school is supported by more than 25 Lutheran congregations in Southeast Missouri, ranging from Farmington to Poplar Bluff. Several area Lutheran congregations began talking about forming a school more than a year ago. Land was purchased along Cape Girardeau County Road 601 as the permanent site for the school.

People having questions about the school can contact Jerry Deardorff at the school office, 335-6635.

Several area school districts have expanded their kindergarten and pre-school programs this year. Cape Girardeau School District's Missouri Preschool Project, in its second year, has been expanded to a full-day program to meet demand from parents for longer hours of operation. The project is housed at House of Prayer Church, 1001 Ranney.

St. Paul Lutheran School in Jackson has 34 children enrolled in the first year of its full-day kindergarten program, and St. Vincent de Paul School in Cape Girardeau has expanded its kindergarten curriculum to include both full-day and half-day options.

Franklin Elementary School is the last of the Cape Girardeau School District's elementary schools to be renovated using funding approved by voters in 1997. Workers began this summer on the project, which cost more the $600,000 and includes conversion of the existing gymnasium into a library and cafeteria. A new gymnasium is under construction but is not expected to be completed before mid-December.

Renovations to the district's five elementary schools will mean fewer dismissals due to hot weather this year. Superintendent Dr. Dan Steska said a policy is being developed to announce dismissals for Louis J. Schultz and Central Junior and Senior High schools the night before if high temperatures are forecast. Elementary students will remain in classes, since all five elementary buildings are air-conditioned, Steska said.

There also have been a number of administrative changes at area schools. Veteran Southeast Missouri school administrator Dr. Arnold Bell will serve as interim superintendent of Chaffee School District, and David Newell is the new superintendent at Kelso C-7 School.

Meadow Heights schools begin the year with two new principals, William Moss at the high school and Larry Shoat at the elementary school. And former Nell Holcomb teacher Mary Boeller has been named principal for the coming year. Carl Riley is the new principal at Cairo High School, which operated without a principal during the second half of the last school year.

BACK TO SCHOOL DATES

Following are important back-to-school dates and attendance times for area schools. Information was not available for some public and private schools in the region.

CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY

Cape Girardeau School District

Aug. 21 full day

Cape Christian School

Aug. 16 full day

Delta School District

Aug. 16 full day

Eagle Ridge Christian School

Aug. 21 full day

Jackson School District

Aug. 21 full day

Nell Holcomb School

Aug. 21 full day

Aug. 31 Back-to-School night

Notre Dame Regional High School

Aug. 23 Freshman orientation

Aug. 23, 24, 25 1:30 p.m. dismissal

Aug. 27 Back-to-School potluck dinner

Aug. 28 Full day

Oak Ridge School District

Aug. 14 eighth- through 12th grade orientation

Aug. 15 kindergarten orientation

Aug. 16 seventh grade orientation

Aug. 21 Full day

Saxony Lutheran School

Aug. 21 Full day

St. Paul Lutheran School

Aug. 21 Full day

St. Vincent De Paul Grade School

Aug. 24 Full day

Trinity Lutheran School

Aug. 21 Full day

Scott County Schools

Chaffee School District

Aug. 16 Full day

Guardian Angel School

Aug. 18 Full day

Thomas Kelly School District

Aug. 17 Full day

Kelso C-7 School District

Aug. 17 Full day

Oran School District

Aug. 15 Open house

Aug. 17 Full day

Scott City School District

Aug. 18 Full day

St. Ambrose School

Aug. 22 1 p.m. dismissal

St. Augustine School

Aug. 14, 16 Registration

St. Denis School

Aug. 21 Full day

Bollinger County Schools

Leopold School District

Aug. 16 Full day

Meadow Heights School District

Aug. 18 Full day

Woodland School District

Aug. 14 Kindergarten orientation

Aug. 15 Seventh grade orientation

Aug. 16 Full day

Zalma School District

Aug. 14 Open house

Aug. 16 Full day

Perry County Schools

Altenburg School District

Aug. 17 Full day

Perryville School District

Aug. 17 Full day

St. Vincent School

Aug. 16 Junior high orientation

Aug. 17 High school orientation

Aug. 17 First full day for elementary

Aug. 18 First full day junior/senior high

Southern Illinois

Anna-Jonesboro Community High School

Aug. 24 One-hour orientation

Aug. 25 Full day

Cairo School District

Aug. 22 Early dismissal

Aug. 23 Full day

Century Unit School District 100

Aug. 25 One-hour orientation

Aug. 28 Full day

Egyptian Community Unit School District #5

Aug. 18 Two-hour orientation

Aug. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 2:15 p.m. dismissal

Aug. 28 Full day

Meridian School District

Aug. 18 Two-hour orientation

Aug. 21 Full day