City and county schools may very well have stretch marks from all of this year’s growth.

As children prepare to begin school Tuesday in both districts, officials say they have spent the summer preparing for an influx of English as a Second Language students in addition to other student growth.

New schools are already under construction throughout the area to accommodate the growing pains, as one city school prepares to open the doors to a brand-new school for the first time Tuesday.

Both districts have a few minor changes to their business-as-usual schedules for the first day of school.

In Warren County, Moss Middle School will see a five-minute time change from its annual schedule, with classes beginning at 7:45 a.m. and dismissing at 2:40 p.m. No other school times have changed but are accessible on the main Web site, www.warren.ky12.ky.us.

Student bus routes are also accessible from the site, by clicking on transportation, then bus routes. The site gives parents the driver’s name, the pick-up time and site as well as a contact number.

John Odom, transportation director for the county, said several buses will be staged in different areas to handle any overflow of passengers until drivers can determine how many students will be riding to school each day.

Odom asked that parents and drivers be cautious and patient in the Louisville Road area Tuesday, as construction at the new Bristow Elementary School site is expected to cause some delays.

Gina Davis, director of food service and nutrition, said meal prices will remain the same in the district this year, with breakfast costing all students $1.15 and lunch costing elementary school students $1.65 while middle and high school students will pay $1.75.

While prices and times may stay the same, Don Sergent, director of community relations for the district, said enrollment has grown considerably at many schools with about 13,500 students flowing through county school doors Tuesday.

Students at Rich Pond, Plano and Alvaton elementary schools will see the adjustments from the school board’s recent redistricting made in an effort to relieve any crowding issues at some of the schools.

Even with the redistricting, the district is anticipating more than 80 students from other countries to begin enrolling this year in the English as a Second Language program. While the numbers are still tentative as children continue to enroll, the ESL program may exceed a record 1,000 students this year.

Sergent said Greenwood High School’s enrollment is nearing 1,800 this year, as the school looks to decrease that number next year with the addition of the new South Warren Middle and High School that is currently under construction. Similarly, Drakes Creek Middle School, which feeds into Greenwood, will also see some relief from this year’s estimated enrollment of 910 students, once the new school is opened next fall.

New schools are also being built at Bristow and Richardsville elementary schools, as students will enter the doors for the buildings’ final first day of school before they are torn down sometime next year.

The Bowling Green Independent School District is opening its doors to a new school this year. T.C. Cherry Elementary School, on Liberty Avenue, will give students their own lockers and a new technology center for the first time since upgrades and space in the old 60-year-old building were limited.

The new $10.6 million building sits on the site formerly occupied by the T.C. Cherry swimming pool, and can house 500 students - up from 275 in the old building.

Other changes for the city schools include start times for elementary schools, which will start and end 10 minutes later than last year, according to Joe Tinius, superintendent for Bowling Green schools.

Classes at the elementary schools will begin at 8:10 a.m. and go to 2:50 p.m. this year.

No other city schools’ times have changed with Bowling Green Junior High School in session from 7:40 a.m. to 2:35 p.m., and Bowling Green High School in class from 8:30 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. with zero period from 7:30 a.m. to 8:20 a.m.

School meal prices in the city have seen a small increase from last year. Parents should pack an extra dime for student breakfast, as student breakfast prices have increased to $1.10. Lunch prices will remain at $2.

Adult breakfast price has also increased 10 cents from $1.50 to $1.60 per meal, and lunch for adults will now be $2.75 instead of $2.50. Visitor lunches will now cost $3.

Leslie Peek, public relations coordinator for the district, said bus schedules will not be official until after the first day of school, and said parents can contact Michael McCloud, director of transportation, at 746-2200 to verify their students’ pickup times and locations. She said students who have ridden in the past will likely have the same time and location, as buses will roll out at their usual time at 6:30 a.m.

Peek said the city district is not anticipating as much of a growth in ESL students this year, but did see an increase of 100 students to city schools throughout the previous school year.

As students continue to register Tuesday and everyone adjusts to new travel times, officials at the Warren County Sheriff’s Department asked parents to be patient and careful traveling on the first day of school. Law enforcement will be enhancing safety with strict traffic enforcement, and asks everyone to remember to wear seat belts.

For more information:

Bowling Green Independent Schools

746-2200

www.b-g.k12.ky.us

Warren County Public Schools

781-5150

www.warren.k12.ky.us