Communities served: Lower Burrell, Upper Burrell

Start date: Sept. 1

Estimated enrollment: 1,926

Buildings: Four (high school; Charles A. Huston Middle; Bon Air and Stewart elementaries)

Superintendent: Shannon L. Wagner

District contact: 724-334-1406; www.burrell.k12.pa.us

What's new: Personal Finance, a new course, is required for seniors. ... Academic intervention specialist has been hired to design a program to ensure that students read at grade level. ... Students taking advanced placement courses will take AP exams that would allow them to receive college credit at no cost. ... Ten full-year online courses, developed and taught by Burrell faculty members, will be introduced for grades 7-9.

Communities served: Derry Borough, Derry Township and New Alexandria

Start date: Aug. 30 (grades 6-12), Sept. 1 (K-5)

Estimated enrollment: 2,300

Buildings: Five (high school; middle school; Grandview, Loyalhanna, New Derry elementaries)

Superintendent: Roberta J. McCahan

District contact: 724-694-1401; derryasd.schoolwires.com

What's new: Grandview is being renovated, but will be open when classes begin Monday. ... Automated cafeteria prepay is now an option.

Communities served: Delmont, Export, Murrysville

Start date: Aug. 26

Estimated enrollment: 3,780

Buildings: Five (high school; middle school; Heritage, Newlonsburg, Sloan elementaries)

Superintendent: P. Emery D'Arcangelo

District contact: 724-327-5456; franklinregional.k12.pa.us

What's new: There will be no late starts at the high school, and there will be a 25-miunte early dismissal (1:57 p.m.) every Tuesday. ... The middle school PTO has donated a traverse climbing wall to the school, and it is ready for use. ... Elementary school days will be 15 minutes longer (9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.), and math instruction will increase from 45 minutes to 60 minutes daily.

Communities served: Latrobe, Unity, Youngstown

Start date: Aug. 30

Estimated enrollment: 4,173

Buildings: Five (high school; junior high; Baggaley, Latrobe, Mountain View elementaries)

Superintendent: Judith Swigart

District contact: 724-539-4200; www.glsd.k12.pa.us

Start date: Aug. 25

Estimated enrollment: 447

Principal: Donald Favero

District contact: 724-834-0310; www.gcchs.org

Communities served: Delmont, Greensburg, Salem, South Greensburg, Southwest Greensburg

Start date: Aug. 30

Estimated enrollment: 2,887

Buildings: Five (high school; middle school; Hutchinson, Metzgar, Nicely elementaries)

Superintendent: Thomas M. Yarabinetz

District contact: 724-832-2901; greensburgsalem.org

What's new: District-wide all-day kindergarten. ... Stepped-up work on helping students make the transition from fifth to six grade and eighth to ninth. ... Chinese III and IV are new, building on last year's introduction to Chinese.

Communities served: Adamsburg, Hempfield, Hunker, Manor, New Stanton, Youngwood

Start date: Aug. 30

Estimated enrollment: 6,186

Buildings: 10 (high school; Harrold, Wendover, West Hempfield middle schools; Bovard, Fort Allen, Maxwell, Stanwood, West Hempfield, West Point elementaries). Also, the Hempfield, Mount Pleasant Area and Jeannette City districts jointly operate Crossroads, an alternative education school for students who have been removed from a school in those districts for various reasons. It is in the eastern part of Hempfield.

Superintendent: Terry J. Foriska

District contact: 724-834-2590; hempfieldarea.k12.pa.us

What's new: Artificial turf at the stadium. ... Two security personnel at the high school, up from zero. ... Renovations to Stanwood have been completed. Classes took place as the work continued during the school year. ... Renovations are being completed at the high school pool, including new ventilation, lighting, heating and ceiling design. ... The high school fitness center is now open to the public.

Community served: Jeannette

Start date: Aug. 30

Estimated enrollment: 1,165

Buildings: Three (high school; McKee Middle; McKee Elementary)

Superintendent: Sharon L. Marks

District contact: 724-523-5497; www.jeannette.k12.pa.us

Communities served: Allegheny Township, Avonmore, Bell, East Vandergrift, Hyde Park, Oklahoma Borough, Parks, Vandergrift, Washington

Start date: Aug. 31

Estimated enrollment: 3,982

Buildings: Nine (high school; intermediate school; Allegheny-Hyde Park, Bell Avon, Laurel Point, Mamont, North Washington, Vandergrift and Washington elementaries)

Superintendent: John M. Meighan

District contact: 724-845-2022; www.kiskiarea.com

Communities served: Donegal Borough, Donegal Township, Mount Pleasant Borough, Mount Pleasant Township

Start date: Aug. 31

Estimated enrollment: 2,184

Buildings: Five (junior-senior high school; Donegal, Norvelt, Ramsay and Rumbaugh elementaries)

Superintendent: Terry W. Struble

District contact: 724-547-4100; mtpasd.schoolwires.com

What's new: The secondary campus is completely wireless and now has laptop carts. ... Computer labs have been replaced in all elementary buildings. ... Library software has been replaced and upgraded. ... Donegal Township residents will come to school in vans. ... There are 12 new staff members.

Communities served: Arnold, New Kensington

Start date: Aug. 31

Estimated enrollment: 2,187

Buildings: Six (Valley High School; Valley Middle School; H.D. Berkey, Greenwald Memorial, Martin, Fort Crawford elementaries)

Superintendent: George Batterson

District contact: 724-337-4536; www.nkasd.com

What's new: A grant from The Grable Foundation will enable the district to enhance its partnership with Jilin City and Changchen City in China. ... Special education students living in the district but who had been placed elsewhere are returning to district schools. ... Life skills classes are being offered for K-12. ... The Alternative Education Program for middle school and high School has expanded.

Communities served: Irwin, North Huntingdon, North Irwin

Start date: Aug. 23

Estimated enrollment: 5,400

Buildings: Seven (high school; middle school; Hillcrest Intermediate; Hahntown, Sheridan Terrace, Stewartsville, Sunset Valley elementaries)

Superintendent: William H. Kerr Jr.

District contact: 724-861-3000; www.norwinsd.org

What's new: Dr. Kerr became superintendent July 1, succeeding John C. Boylan, who retired. Dr. Kerr was previously superintendent of the Armstrong School District. ... The artificial turf has been replaced and the track refurbished at the stadium, costing about $543,000. ... The renovated administration building opened in March and includes a room with state-of-the-art technology that accommodates school board meetings and professional development. ... Three hundred computers have been replaced. ... There are 17 new teachers.

Communities served: Manor, Penn Borough, Penn Township, Trafford

Start date: Aug. 30

Estimated enrollment: 4,215

Buildings: Eight (high school; Penn and Trafford middle schools; Harrison Park, Level Green, McCullough, Sunrise Estates, Trafford elementaries)

Superintendent: Deborah Kolonay

District contact: 724-744-4496; penntrafford.org

What's new: Renovations to the stadium, including new artificial turf and track. ... Instead of making major changes, the district is striving to get the most out of programs that were already in place.

Communities served: Arona, Madison, Sewickley Township, Smithton, South Huntingdon, Sutersville, West Newton

Start date: Aug. 30

Estimated enrollment: 2,264

Buildings: Five (high school; intermediate/middle school; H.W. Good, Mendon, West Newton elementaries)

Superintendent: Dr. Denise Shipe

District contact: 724-446-7272; www.yough.net

What's new: A math textbook and curriculum series for K-12. ... Academy of Math, a computer program supplement. ... High school nurse Barb Kujawa, art instructor Sara Mooney are new hires; teachers Crystal Donaldson (grade 1) and Jessica Schwartzmier (elementary technology) and elementary librarian Audrey Sites are beginning their first full years.

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