SCHOOL DAYS: STUDENTS RETURN FOR NEW ACADEMIC YEAR

Cape Girardeau teachers will report today for a workshop in advance of opening classes on Thursday.

Summer vacation ended Monday for 887 students in Scott City, and school starts Wednesday for Jackson students. Students at Notre Dame Catholic High School begin school today.

Scott City Superintendent Robert Brison said Monday enrollment figures were up just slightly from last year. "We have a healthy crop of kindergarteners," he said.

"We've had just an excellent beginning, other than the little fog this morning. Everything was well prepared. The youngsters, parents and all seem to be pleased.

"It's really been a routine day," he said.

Brison said changes over the summer included some minor building improvements that were mostly cosmetic.

"We were sprucing it up and getting it ready to go," Brison said.

Cape Girardeau teachers report today to the Show Me Center.

Monday night Boatmen's Bank sponsored a reception for Cape Girardeau school staff members, also at the Show Me Center.

Today's agenda includes a welcome from Board of Education President Ed Thompson, Community Teachers Association President Mary Hart and Superintendent Neyland Clark.

Teachers and other staff members will attend seminars today. One of the topics is designed specifically for faculties of Washington and May Greene elementary schools to discuss proposed building plans. Representatives of an architectural firm will discuss the process of designing a new elementary building, Clark said.

Other topics include cooperative learning, Reading Recovery, grant-writing, Cooperation Alliance for Public Education, and At-Risk Program with emphasis on substance abuse.

During the afternoon, staff members will report to their assigned buildings.

Clark said he plans to reflect on his first year as superintendent and to look ahead at the 1992-93 school year.

He said enrollment for the school year looks to be on the rise. "We will be keeping a close watch on those figures," said Clark. "With the budget reductions last year, our class size has increased. We need to keep an eye on those numbers."

While teachers didn't officially report until today, Clark said many teachers have already been working in their classrooms, getting things ready for the start of school.

"If you had driven past the high school or several other schools last week, you might have thought school was in session," he said. "We had that many people working on their own time."

Clark said most summer maintenance projects are finished. "The roof at Schultz is complete and we feel confident about it," he said. "We had the vandalism at Franklin school, but we've had offers to pay for replanting and other costs from members of the community."

Clark said that when talking with teachers and other staff members he has noticed a "renewal of a positive attitude."

"I think you will see Cape coming out in more of a leadership role statewide on the educational funding issue," he said.

Jackson Superintendent Wayne Maupin said: "We started (Monday) with our back-to-school workshop and routine meetings. Our keynote speaker was Peter Bergerson from Southeast Missouri State University."

Maupin said today will include similar meetings for teachers. "Then we begin the first day of attendance Wednesday," he said.

"It appears that the weather will take a turn for the better for us and not be so hot," Maupin said.

"Our enrollment will be up," said Maupin. "In kindergarten, I believe we will have the largest enrollment we've ever had in excess of 300 kids."

Earlier, the district hired a half-time kindergarten teacher to handle the increased number of students.