By CATHY HIGGINS

onlooker@gulfcoastnewspapers.com

FOLEY — The summer heat may still be burning. But it’s already time to begin preparing for the upcoming school year, which starts Aug. 20 for students and 10 days earlier for teachers.

Ready or not, preparations are already under way. According to Baldwin County Public Schools spokesman Terry Wilhite, registration for new students begins next week at most South Baldwin County schools.

“School administrators stress that parents and guardians must bring all necessary documents to the school office for each child they wish to enroll,” he said in a news release. “Parents are urged to make sure that all contact information, including cell phone number and email address, is current as it is used for emergency phone calls and rapid notification messages.”

For each new student, necessary documents include: birth certificate, Social Security card, two proofs of residence (one of which should be a recent utility bill at the current address), withdrawal pass from previous school and transcript; and updated immunization forms.

One helpful option this year is the use of online registration. For more information on that, visit www.bcbe.org.

But that’s not the only new addition at Foley High School. This year, Curt Forbes will head one of the school’s programs in innovation.

“Foley High continues to model and develop an aerospace engineering academy,” Foley High School Principal Russ Moore said in a phone interview.

He explained that the program, now in its second year, is an academy within Foley High geared toward preparing students for careers in aerospace engineering.

Moore added that the academy should help students get ready for opportunities coming to the Gulf Coast.

“We hope to tap into Air Bus,” he said.

But that’s not the only program that’s growing at Foley High.

“We’re expanding our foreign language opportunities,” Moore said.

Some 450 freshmen are expected to enter Foley High next month.

“We’ve already had our registration,” Moore said.

But freshman orientation will be held 8 a.m.-1 p.m.Thursday in the gym. Then upper classmen have the option of getting their schedules and lockers 3-5 p.m. Aug. 9.

“But most of them wait until the first day of school,” Moore said. “They’re old hands at it.”

The schedule for the rest of the schools in and around Foley includes:

Foley Elementary

Meet the Teacher Night is Aug. 16 pre-k and kindergarten 5:30-6 p.m.; first grade 6-6:30 p.m.; second grade 6:30-7 p.m.; third grade 7-7:30 p.m.; fourth grade 7:30-8 pm.

New student registration is Aug. 7, noon-6:30 p.m. and Aug. 8, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Registration packets were sent home with students prior to the end of school. If you did not return your registration packet you may register your child on the new student registration dates. For more information, visit www.foleyelementary.com.

Foley Intermediate

Meet the Teacher and Registration is Aug. 13, from 3-6 p.m. for fifth and sixth grade students in the school cafeteria. Parents may pick up registration packets beginning Aug. 6. Students requesting single gender classes need to notify the school office at 943-1244 as soon as possible.

Foley Middle

Registration: seventh grade, Monday from 8-11 a.m. and 2-5 p.m.; eighth grade, Tuesday from 8-11 a.m. and 2-5 p.m. Registration: $40 which includes agenda, hall locker, postage and supplemental instructional supplies. P.E uniforms $15, PE locker $10 which includes lock. Spirit shirts: $15 and can be worn daily as a school shirt. For more information: www.foleymiddle.com.

Elberta Elementary

Meet the Teacher Night and orientation for returning students and students previously registered is Thursday, 5 - 6:30 p.m. Class rolls will be posted and students will be able to meet their new teacher. School T-shirts will be available for purchase orientation night. For more information, visit www.elbertaelementary.com.

Elberta Middle

Registration for fourth through eighth grades is Thursday, from 8-11:30 a.m. and 3-6 p.m. Fourth-grade students and their parents are invited to a “Welcome to Elberta Middle School” Cookout Aug. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the courtyard of the school.

Registration: fourth, fifth and sixth grades $20 and $10 for band; seventh and eighth grades, $30 and $10 for band.

Elberta Middle will provide school supplies; all students registering on Thursday will receive Mead zippered binder filled with supplies. School Spirit shirt available for $10 and School Spirit shirts from previous years available for $5. All School Spirit shirts may be worn on designated spirit days. For more information: www.elbertamiddle.com.

Magnolia

Meet the Teacher is Aug. 17 from 1-3 p.m. New and returning students may register Monday-Thursday, now - Aug. 2, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Class rolls will be posted August 10 at 5 p.m.

Pre-k parent orientation Aug. 6 at 6 p.m.; kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades parent orientation, Aug. 16; kindergarten, 5 p.m.; first grade, 5:30 p.m.; second grade, 5:50 p.m.; third grade at 6:10 p.m.; fourth grade at 6:30 p.m.; fifth grade at 6:50 p.m.; and sixth grade at 7:10 p.m. Please bring student supplies.

For more information, visit ww.magnoliaschoolk6.com.

Summerdale

Meet the Teacher —Aug. 16, at 6 p.m. Students may bring supplies. Class lists will be posted on doors of each building. Middle school registration: $40; includes locker, enrichment, planner, and handbook. PE locker: $5, PE uniform: $20, for seventh and eighth grade only.

Additional paperwork will be sent home with all students on the first day of school. If you have a new student, please notify the office as soon as possible.

For more information, visit www.summerdaleschool.com.