SCHOOLS GEAR UP FOR THE START OF YEAR

Notebooks, crayons and pencils are taking over store aisles. Blue jeans and backpacks are the hot item at many stores. Teachers are busily cleaning up dusty classrooms. All of this can mean only one thing: It is back-to-school time again.

Many schools in the area will start classes in less than a week, and throughout the area parents and children are gearing up for another school year.

Many teachers are already in their classrooms, making lesson plans, crafting bulletin boards and writing students' names on cards and supplies. In addition, many of the schools are getting some remodeling done, such as painting, gardening and floor buffing.

"Vacation has seemed really short this year," said Mary Ziegler, a kindergarten teacher at St. Vincent de Paul Grade School. "Mainly because this will be my first year teaching kindergarten, so I've been doing research all summer. I'm really excited about starting school though."

Classes are beginning throughout the area, so parents and students need to be aware of when their school will start.

Advance schools will start at 8:10 a.m. on Aug. 24.

Altenburg will begin classes at 8 a.m. Aug. 22.

Classes at Anna-Jonesboro school in Illinois will also begin at 8 a.m. on Aug. 22.

Cairo, Ill., public schools will start Aug. 23.

All Cape Girardeau public schools will begin classes on Aug. 25 after a two-day teacher workshop Aug. 23 and 24. This includes all elementary schools, the junior and senior high. Cape Central High School and Junior High will start classes at 7:45 a.m. Alma Schrader Elementary and Washington Elementary will begin classes at 8:10 a.m. Franklin School's first bell will ring at 8:15 a.m. L.J. Schultz will begin classes at 7:45 a.m. Charles C. Clippard Elementary and May Greene Elementary will start fall classes at 8:15 a.m. Jefferson Elementary will begin classes at 8 a.m.

Cape Christian School will start at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 25.

Chaffee public schools will start the new school year on Aug. 22 at 8 a.m.

Concordia-Trinity Lutheran School of Frohna-Altenberg will start Aug. 22. School begins with a Joint Opening Service at Trinity, Altenburg at 8 a.m.

Delta School District will start Aug. 24.

Egyptian, Ill., school's first class of the new school year will start at 8:20 a.m. Aug. 24.

Guardian Angel School in Oran will begin Aug. 25.

Immaculate Conception will begin its classes Aug. 22 at 8 a.m.

Classes at all Jackson public schools will begin Aug. 24 at 8 a.m.

Thomas W. Kelly schools will begin the school year on Aug. 24.

Kelso C-7 at New Hamburg will begin at 8 a.m. on Aug. 24.

Leopold will hold its first classes at 7:40 a.m. on Aug. 17.

Marquand-Zion's first bell will ring at 8:05 a.m. Aug. 25.

Meadow Heights will start at 8:10 a.m. on Aug. 22.

Meridian High School in Mounds, Ill., will start its fall classes Aug. 23.

Nell Holcomb School will begin class at 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 29.

Notre Dame's first class will be on Aug. 22 at 8 a.m.

Oak Ridge R-VI School District will begin its classes at 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 19.

Oran High School and Elementary School will start fall classes at 8:25 a.m. on Aug. 25.

Parkview State School will start Sept. 1 at 9 a.m.

Perryville public schools start Aug. 22 at 8 a.m.

Scott City High School will start fall classes 8:30 on Aug. 24 and the elementary starts at 8 a.m.

Scott County Central Schools will begin classes Aug. 22. The elementary school will start at 8 a.m., and the high school will start at 8:08 a.m.

Shawnee, Ill., school students will go to pick up their schedules at 8:10 a.m. Aug. 22. Classwork will begin Aug. 23.

Sikeston public schools will start classes at 8 a.m. Aug. 22.

Southeast Missouri State University officially begins its fall semester at 8 a.m. Aug. 22.

St. Ambrose in Chaffee will start school Aug. 22 between 7:30 and 7:45.

St. Augustine school at Kelso will begin classes Aug. 22 at 8 a.m. Students will be dismissed the first day only at 10 a.m.

St. Denis school in Benton will begin classes at 8 a.m. Aug. 24.

St. Joseph school in Scott City will hold its first class on Aug. 22 at 8 a.m. There will be an early dismissal the first day only at 12:30 p.m.

St. Paul's Lutheran in Jackson will start school at 8 a.m. on Aug. 22.

St. Vincent de Paul Grade School starts Aug. 24 at 7:50 a.m.

St. Vincent School in Perryville starts its class Aug. 22 at 8:43 a.m.

St. Mary's Cathedral Grade School will begin its fall classes at 7:50 a.m. on Aug. 24. There will be a 1 p.m. dismissal for the first day of classes only.

Trinity Lutheran School begins at 8 a.m. on Aug. 22.

Woodland schools will start at 8:15 on Aug. 17.

Zalma will hold its first class of the school year at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 15.