Back to School | What’s new for the 2016-17 year in the Valley? Students and teachers return to books, pencils and laptops this month and in September for the 2016-17 school year. Some details:

Mahoning County

ACLD School and Learning Center

First day: Aug. 31.

AUSTINTOWN

First day: Aug. 29.

New administrators: Marc Pupino, assistant principal at Austintown Intermediate; Robin Vickers, assistant principal at Austintown Elementary.

BOARDMAN

First day: Aug. 29.

New administrators: Superintendent Tim Saxton; Jack Zocolo, director of instruction; Mark Zura, coordinator of special education and student services; Billie Jo Johnson, Market Street Elementary School principal; Michael Zoccali, Stadium Drive Elementary; and Adam Lewis, assistant principal, Boardman High School.

CAMPBELL

First day: Aug. 29.

New administrators: Jane Buckingham, director of special services; James Goske, associate kindergarten to third grade principal; Kent Polen, professional development data coach/assistant principal.

Canfield

First day: Aug. 29.

Curriculum: New math curriculum for elementary and middle school students: Bridges Math for kindergarten through fifth grade and College Prep Math in sixth through eighth grades and algebra 1 for eighth and ninth grades. Series is more collaborative and it allows a seamless pathway between elementary and middle school. The district also hired a math coach.

Renovations: Handicap-accessible parking was added at the high school lower campus. Sidewalks were added to the batting facilities at high school and cement work was completed at Hilltop Elementary and the middle school. Gravel was removed from the home side of the stadium and was paved. Tennis courts were resurfaced and the stadium’s freshman locker room gutted and renovated to accommodate freshman and away teams. All of the projects were funded with permanent improvement money.

CARDINAL MOONEY

First day: Aug. 23.

Gospel Baptist, Poland

First day: Aug. 29.

Jackson-Milton

First day: Sept. 6.

New administrator: Kevin Hogue, athletic director.

Curriculum: Chromebooks for students, new kindergarten curriculum and the seventh-through-12th-grade science department will be using CloudLabs. It’s a virtual-lab simulator and multi-media platform application that works with computers and tablets without an internet connection.

LOWELLVILLE

First day: Aug. 22.

New administrator: Timothy Pancake, assistant principal.

LUMEN CHRISTI Schools including St. Nicholas, St. Charles, St. Christine and Holy Family elementary schools

First day: Aug. 23.

Renovations: Technology has been upgraded at several locations including Holy Family where the sixth through eighth grade students will use Chromebooks for multiple subjects throughout the school day. Instrumental instruction has also been expanded to all middle school students as part of the standard curriculum.

MAHONING VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER

First day: Aug. 22.

POLAND

First day: Aug. 22.

New administrator: Karen Kanotz, director of instruction and student services.

SEBRING

First day: Aug. 22

Changes: All Sebring students will be offered free breakfast and lunch.

SOUTH RANGE

First day: Aug. 22.

Renovations: Industrial tech lab renovated into a 90-seat technology lab for K-12 students and new field turf was installed at the Rominger Sports Complex for all athletic teams, band and students. It’s the first phase of the stadium project.

SPRINGFIELD

First day: Sept. 7.

Struthers

First day: Aug. 24.

New administrator: Brian Rella, treasurer.

Curriculum: District will introduce more than 1,300 Chromebooks, digital device carts, and many new software initiatives for classroom use through new one computer device for each student. Bridges in Mathematics is a new kindergarten through fifth-grade math curriculum, focusing on developing students’ deep understanding of mathematical concepts, proficiency with key skills, and the ability to solve complex and novel problems. ReadyGen is a new language arts curriculum for fourth and fifth grade and My Perspectives is new for sixth through twelfth grade. Both programs are a blended print and digital curriculum that promote student ownership, social collaboration and student choice. The district will implement an entrepreneurship program beginning in eighth grade to provide students with the tools, strategies and confidence needed to launch and grow new businesses.

URSULINE

First day: Aug. 23.

Renovations: Phase II of the science wing renovation has been completed including conversion of three lab/classroom spaces into two larger biology and anatomy laboratories with a teacher prep room. The project included asbestos removal as well as air conditioning of the entire wing. New student desks, teacher desks, Smart Board, lighting, flooring and windows complete the renovation. The total project cost was $350,000. Deibel-Morley Arts Center upgraded with painting and carpeting and upgrades and painting in multiple locations in the school.

VALLEY CHRISTIAN

First day: Aug. 29.

New administrator, Lawrence Reeves, principal.

Expansions: New Valley Christian Schools Pleasant Grove Campus, Youngstown, opens and will house district-level offices and kindergarten program.

WEST BRANCH

First day: Sept. 7

New administrator: Superintendent Timothy Saxton and Caitlin Reash, Damascus Elementary School principal.

Western Reserve

First day: Sept. 6.

YOUNGSTOWN

First day: Aug. 22.

New administrators: Krish Mohip, chief executive officer; and Tyrone Olverson, chief academic officer; it’s expected that two elementary school principals and some assistant principals will be hired before school starts.

Trumbull County

BRISTOL

First day: Aug. 24.

New administrator: Ryan Stowell, elementary principal.

Curriculum: Two carts of Chromebooks for elementary testing.

BROOKFIELD

First day: Aug. 24.

New administrators: Superintendent Velina Jo Taylor; John DeSantis, high school principal; Toby Gibson, middle school principal; and Maryrose Walker elementary principal.

CHAMPION

First day: Aug. 23.

New administrator: Christy Pompoco, director of special education.

Curriculum: Chromebooks bought for student use in all buildings as part of three-year plan to put Chromebooks in every student’s hand.

Buildings/renovations: Construction activities begin for the new PK-8 $31.2 million pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school slated to open August 2018. The project is through the Ohio School Construction Commission.

GIRARD

First day: Aug. 23.

HOWLAND

First day: Aug. 29.

HUBBARD

First day: Aug. 23 for students in first through 12th grades and Aug. 30 for kindergarten.

New administrator: Austin Handrych, assistant high school principal.

Curriculum: Implementation of new kindergarten through fourth-grade literacy textbook series and addition of College Credit Plus classes in college algebra with trigonometry, United States government, comparative politics, two English composition courses and introduction to statistics.

JOSEPH BADGER

First day: Aug. 24 for first through 12th graders and Aug. 25 for kindergarten and pre-kindergarten.

New administrators: Steven Kochemba, middle school principal; and William Hamilton, athletic director.

Curriculum: New College Credit Plus courses, general biology: molecules and cells, general biology: organisms and ecology, English composition and Diversity in America. Block scheduling begins is math and English language arts. The elementary school will continue the kindergarten through fourth-grade learning lab which was implemented January 2016.

LAKEVIEW

First day: Aug. 22.

Curriculum: Chromebooks provided for middle and high school students.

LIBERTY

First day: Aug. 22.

Lordstown

First day: Aug. 24.

Curriculum: Nearly 25 hours of math intervention a week in elementary school. Teachers in third through sixth grades will have the opportunity to have students needing extra assistance in language arts attend sessions at the language arts learning lab; more assistance in high school language arts, science and math; expanded gifted services and increasing special education services, both at elementary school.

MATHEWS

First day: Aug. 23

New administrators: James Stitt, Mathews Jr. High/High School principal.

MCDONALD

First day: Aug. 22.

New administrator: Jessica Krumpak, director of student services.

Curriculum: Art and intro to technology class at elementary school; and personal finance management and computer programming II.

Renovations: New elementary and high school computer labs, gymnasium bleachers and new parent notification system.

NILES

First day: For first to 12th-graders and kindergarten girls, Aug. 31; and kindergarten boys, Sept. 1.

New administrators: Michael Guarnieri, Principal at Niles McKinley High School; Vicki Raptis, intermediate school assistant principal; and Toni D’Urso, early literacy/curriculum facilitator.

St. Rose, Girard

First day: Aug. 23.

Renovations: Classrooms have new ceiling, lights and a new clock system.

Victory Christian

First day: Aug. 22.

New administrators: David Pykare, assistant principal.

WARREN

First day: Aug. 24.

New administrators: Jennifer Buccilli, supervisor of school improvement at Willard Pre K-8; Kate Gavalier, third-through-fifth principal at McGuffey PK-8; Joshua Guthrie, Jefferson sixth-through-eighth grade principal; and Jim Joseph, supervisor of school improvement at McGuffey.

WEATHERSFIELD

First day: Sept. 1.

New administrators: Randy Cameron, high school principal; and T.J. Koniowsky, Seaborn Elementary principal; Treasurer Steven Haynie.

Columbiana County

COLUMBIANA

First day: Aug. 23.

HEARTLAND CHRISTIAN

First day: Aug, 24 for kindergarten through 12th-graders; Sept. 12 for Heartland Preschool.

Renovations: Art room underwent a total renovation including new windows, new flooring, a drop ceiling including a fan, new counters/cupboards, additional work space, a new projector, resurfaced tables, new sinks and paint. A portion of the funds used for the renovation was raised from an art auction at the school. Elementary computer lab has been reconfigured to accommodate LittleBits, an electronic module system that connects together for a variety of projects. iPads will be available in the lab as well.

Curriculum: The band program will be expanded to include all fifth-grade students.