Nearly 20,000 expected for `99-00 classes

By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

Nearly 20,000 students will return to Fayette County public schools Monday for the start of the 1999-2000 academic year.

With a slightly more stringent dress code in place, students are expected to arrive at school “dressed to learn,” according to Dr. John DeCotis, superintendent of Fayette County Schools. Neat and appropriate attire is expected, and backpacks must be stashed in lockers between classes in the middle and high schools, based on the latest directives approved by the school board.

“We want to welcome the students back and start off the school year on a positive note. The teachers have been working hard preparing for them,” DeCotis said. “In the spring, we had some safety concerns, and we have addressed a lot of these. We have gotten some good input on the dress code and we are optimistic that this will be a good year.”

Classrooms will be staffed by approximately 1,600 teachers and paraprofessionals. Based on the fiscal year 2000 budget, 64 new teacher position were added this year, 12 and a half extra parapros were hired and seven more bus drivers will transport students.

Brooks Elementary School students will be wearing their khaki, white and blue uniforms starting next week, and all students should be carrying 10 cents extra for lunches, which go up to $1.55 cents for elementary schools and $1.65 for middle and high schools. Extra milk is priced at 35 cents and a juice drink is 40 cents.

Out of the 1,110 classrooms in the county school system, 97 of those are portable classrooms situated at 17 schools throughout the district. While Whitewater Middle School, Oak Grove Elementary and East Fayette Elementary schools have only two portable classrooms apiece, J.C. Booth Middle School has 13 in place.

Several schools, including Whitewater and Kedron, have received fresh interior paint during the summer break while additional lockers have been added to the high schools to provide students with a place to store backpacks.