New school year starts Monday for Plano students

Pack a lunch and stock up on supplies, because school starts tomorrow in Plano ISD.

The school year will be a busy one for the district, with planning continuing for the three new high school academies set to open in August 2013 and the opening of a rebuilt elementary school.

This year's district-wide theme is "Boldy Brilliant," a phrase Communications Director Lesley Range-Stanton said reflects the rich history of the 100-plus-year-old district.

"Plano pride has always been an important part of the school district, and our students and our faculty; the whole idea of them being such a great school district is seen in that word 'brilliant,'" she said. "This year we wanted it to be fun, and it's no accident that [the logo] looks like the Superman emblem, because we think of our teachers as everyday heroes."

While the district's three academies will not open for another year, the district will spend much of the school year preparing for their eventual opening, Stanton said.

The Plano ISD Academy High School, which focuses on project-based learning, will be located at 1701 Alma Drive. The International Baccalaureate and medical academies will be located at Plano East.

"The major work being done will be collaborating with our community partners to help enrich the curriculum, especially with the medical academy, working with local hospitals and higher education," Range-Stanton said. "With the [project-based learning], we want real-world problems for the students to work on, and we expect getting that from community."

One issue many parents have voiced concerns about this year is West Nile virus, a mosquito-transmitted disease that has been found in 19 Plano residents this year, one of whom died due to the illness.

The district will send a letter to parents next week encouraging proper protection against mosquitoes, especially the use of insect repellant containing DEET. The district's pest management team is also working on mosquito habitat control, and campus administrators are monitoring areas where mosquito breeding might take place.

Children will be able to opt out of outdoor activities with written parental consent, and athletics programs will institute more specific guidelines as needed, Range-Stanton said.

"Because recess is during the day, it's not an active mosquito time, but [campus administrators] will make a call if they think it's not safe for children and hold recess instead," she said.

School administrators aren't the only ones with an eye on student safety this year. Plano police will be out in full force to enforce school zone speed limits and are reminding drivers to practice safe driving in designated school zones.

An email alert sent by the department Thursday reminded motorists to adhere to the following safety precautions: always drive 20 mph in school zones, don't text and drive, always drop children off in designated carpool lanes, watch for unattended crosswalks, and avoid areas with lots of school traffic while commuting, especially between 7 and 9 a.m.

"Injuries and deaths can happen at 20 mph," said Officer David Tilley, Plano PD spokesman. "It's just that much more difficult to react on both sides when you're traveling at a high rate of speed."

The district will also open a completely rebuilt Memorial Elementary School on Monday. The old building, built in 1967, was torn down to make room for parking at the new campus, which was made possible by the 2008 bond election.

"We took a building that was an aging property and we built a new school," Range-Stanton said. "It will accommodate those students better."

Information for parents of children new to PISD, including transportation and school hours, can be found at www.pisd.edu/common/new.to.plano.shtml.

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