School system has quiet opening

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@thecitizenens.com

The dust has settled on the new classrooms and students are now settling into their routine.

That’s the word from Coweta County Superintendent of Education Richard Brooks after observing the opening of school last week.

Students have been in classes for a week and Brooks was happy with the opening of the school year. The biggest change from last year is the number of students.

“We were at 16,088 students on Monday, which is up 655 from the same day last year,” he said.

Enrollment figures should continue to grow and the numbers should settle down by Labor Day.

Officials also are pleased with the enrollment figures at the Central Education Center. Students are enjoying the new business classes being offered at the center and brooks said nearly 400 students are taking some of the technical classes offered at the center.

When the center is fully operational, a student will be able to graduate from the high school program at the center and move immediately into technical college programs the next year at the same facility.

The county’s three public high schools will feed students into the center, which also will offer continuing education programs, along with an evening high school. Classes will be offered Monday through Thursday evenings. Math, science, English and social studies classes will be initially offered.

The schedule for the night high school has students arriving at 4 p.m. and the last class ending at 10:25 p.m.

Central has been touted as a seamless approach to education and Brooks said he is excited about the opportunities it will offer Coweta’s students.