Plumsted students report for new year

PLUMSTED — It will be back to business — school business, that is — on Sept. 8 for 1,830 students in the Plumsted K-12 School District.

The school day at the New Egypt Primary School will run from 8:35 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

The school day at the Dr. Gerald H. Woehr Elementary School will run from 8:45 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.

The school day at the New Egypt Middle School will run from 7:55 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.

The school day at New Egypt High School will run from 7:23 a.m. to 1:58 p.m.

"Our top priority in the Plumsted school district is our students, their safety, academic achievement and, in short, their whole experience while they are a part of our district," Superintendent of Schools Mark DeMareo said. "To that end, technology, facilities and security have been a goal and continual focus for the district."

DeMareo said some areas of progress he would like to note for the new school year are a district-wide infrastructure that has been designed to allow for wireless access throughout the primary, elementary, middle and high schools.

New instructional technology equipment, which includes desktop computers, wireless mobile laptop carts, tablet PCs, wireless LCD projectors, scanners and printers, are being provided throughout the district, the superintendent said.

District-wide physical security, which includes new access control, cameras and outside lighting, will be put in place throughout the school year.

Additionally, DeMareo said, New Egypt High School will have a new lighting and sound system installed in the auditorium, as well as updating the electrical wiring, and there will be new bleachers installed in the high school gymnasium.

The Plumsted Board of Education has approved the positions of a new K-12 supervisor of guidance, Diane McMahon, and a new K-12 supervisor of special services, Jodie Greene.

"A shared vision and communication are essential to maintaining our tradition of excellence as we make our great schools even better, " DeMareo said.

Back to School Night will be held Sept. 21 for the middle school, Sept. 24 for the high school, Sept. 29 for the primary school, and Sept. 30 for the elementary school.

Board of Education meetings are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 and Oct. 21.

Plumsted schools will be closed on Sept. 28 in observance of Yom Kippur and on Oct. 12 in observance of Columbus Day.

There will be early dismissal (half-day for students) on Sept. 9 for staff development, and there will be staff in-service sessions on Oct. 5 when schools will be closed for students.

An additional staff in-service day and early dismissal for students will occur on Oct. 30.

There will be a new 12 Plus Special Education program, Learning Cottage, this year, and students at the primary school can look forward to using new playground equipment.

Contact Dave Benjamin at dbenjamin@gmnews.com.