Here's what's new in Muscogee County, Phenix City, Russell County schools for 2015-16

While public school students in the Muscogee County, Phenix City and Russell County districts enjoy their last day of summer vacation before returning to classes Monday, parents and guardians can prepare for what's new for the 2015-16 school year by reading this summary:

Muscogee County

New high school schedule and earlier start time: For the third straight year, high schools will follow a different schedule.

In 2013-14, they were on a 4x4 block schedule, with four courses in the fall semester and another four courses in the spring semester. Facing a projected budget deficit of more than $10 million in advance of last school year, Superintendent David Lewis' administration changed the high school schedules to a 4x7 modified block, reducing the daily periods from eight to seven to save an estimated $4 million to $4.5 million by decreasing the high school staffs by as much as 15 percent.

But after high school teachers objected to having a planning period every other day instead of daily, the administration surveyed the teachers and found approximately 88 percent favored a straight seven period schedule, Lewis said. And that will be the schedule, at least in 2015-16

The new schedule returns the daily planning period for high school teachers, but it requires more time spent going from class to class because students will have seven periods instead of four each school day. All of which amounts to roughly 15 more minutes spent in the hallways -- and that's why the district will start the high school days 15 minutes earlier. The dismissal time will remain the same.

So the high school schedule will be as follows:

Jordan and Spencer: Doors open at 7:20 a.m.; classes start at 7:50 a.m.; students dismissed at 3:25 p.m.

All other high schools: Doors open at 7:40 a.m.; classes start at 8:10 a.m.; students dismissed at 3:25 p.m.

Jordan and Spencer have longer instructional days because they receive extra federal funds through School Improvement Grants to address previous years of poor academic achievement.

New leaders: Four of the 12 members of Lewis' cabinet are new since last school year started.

In December, the board approved two new chiefs: Fulton County Schools treasurer Theresa Thornton was hired to replace the retired Sharon Adams as chief financial officer, and Ronald Pleasant was promoted to chief information officer from senior director of project management and technology operations to replace Forrest Toelle, who became IT director for the Columbus Consolidated Government.

In February, the board approved hiring David Goldberg, the assistant superintendent for administrative and support services in the Carroll County School System, to succeed the retired Myles Caggins as interim chief of operations and facilities.

In July, the board approved promoting Keith Seifert from executive director of K-12 curriculum and instruction to chief academic officer, following Ronie Collins, who became principal of Pacelli Catholic High School, her alma mater.

Since last school year started, nine schools have new principals:

Baker: Ramona Horn, previously the principal of Lonnie Jackson, replaced Tamura Magwood.

East Columbus: Magwood, previously the principal of Baker, replaced Kevin Scott, who became an administrator in the Atlanta Public Schools.

Lonnie Jackson: Sadiyah Abdullah, previously administrative assistant principal for District 5 in Lexington and Richland counties in South Carolina, replaced Horn.

Downtown: Tujuana Wiggins, previously the principal of Fox, replaced Tonya Douglass.

Waddell: Douglass, previously the principal of Downtown, replaced the retired Shiann Williamson.

Fox: Yvette Scarborough, previously a principal for Polk County (Fla.) Public Schools, where Lewis was an assistant superintendent before the school board hired him in July 2013. Scarborough replaced Wiggins.

Martin Luther King Jr.: Barbara Weaver, previously the shared assistant principal for Forrest Road and Wesley Heights, replaced Michael Davis, now an assistant principal at Jordan, following Cassandra Phillips, who was transferred to succeed the retired Miranda Banks as an assistant principal at Carver.

Reese Road: Amy Parker, previously the assistant principal of Eagle Ridge, replaced Pam McCoy, who resigned to move out of state.

South Columbus: Dawn Harper, previously the assistant principal of Double Churches Middle, replaced Patrice McFadden, who became shared assistant principal for Downtown and River Road.

Lunch prices: The district's lunch prices increased by 5 cents, from $2.05 to $2.10 at elementary schools and from $2.30 to $2.35 at middle schools and high schools.

Orchestra programs: Carver, Jordan and Spencer added orchestra programs, meaning all high schools and middle schools now offer their students that musical option.

Turf at Kinnett: The conversion of Kinnett Stadium from natural grass to artificial turf is expected to be finished in time for the start of football season. The 1 percent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax voters approved in 2009 is funding the $667,256 project.

Phenix City

Phenix City Public Schools has used $750,000 to equip each of its approximate total of 1,500 students and 100 teachers at Phenix City Intermediate School (grades 6-7) and South Girard School (grade 8) with an iPad Air. This is part of Superintendent Randy Wilkes' plan to improve the school system's instructional technology and make learning more engaging for students.

Virtual school: Starting this school year, Phenix City students may take classes online and still graduate from Central High School.

The virtual school, dubbed the V-School, is designed for students in grades 9-12 who are: home-schoolers; travelers; pursuing a nontraditional career, such as the performing arts, that takes them away from the building; dealing with medical issues; or at risk of dropping out for reasons other than lack of credits.

To be eligible, students must meet all other requirements for enrollment; have consistent, daily access to the Internet (minimum 1.5 Mbs); be on track to graduate; and in their previous academic year, have an attendance rate of at least 90 percent, a grade-point average of at least 2.0 and no more than two intermediate or greater office referrals.

New leaders: In July, the Phenix City Board of Education approved hiring Donna Ash as elementary curriculum director. Ash was an education and intervention specialist in Crenshaw County, where Wilkes was superintendent before the Phenix City board hired him last summer.

Ash replaced Lisa Coleman, who directed federal programs and secondary curriculum for Phenix City Public Schools until she left three months ago to become assistant superintendent for the military school district that includes Fort Benning. Since then, Darrell Seldon directed curriculum and instruction for all of Phenix City's system and Wilkes helped with federal programs. Now, Ash will direct curriculum for grades K-7 and Seldon will cover grades 8-12.

In June, the board approved promoting Aretha McDonald from Central Freshman Academy assistant principal to principal of Meadowlane Elementary. She replaced Felicia Washington, who had resigned.

Expansion at Sherwood: A $1.8 million project has given Sherwood Elementary School a multipurpose facility, four additional classrooms, a new driveway and some new windows. The funding came from a bond issue for more than $10 million, which the board approved last year.

Russell County

The Russell County School District starts the new academic year with an interim superintendent still leading the system.

Mike Green resigned in May without a public explanation. Brenda Coley, the district's administrative services director, has been filling the superintendent's role since then.

Russell County Board of Education president Keith Mitchell said the board on July 29 sent the Alabama State Department of Education its advertisement for the vacancy. The application deadline is Aug. 31.

The board is doing the search on its own and not using a consultant. Any superintendent interview the board conducts will be open to the public, Mitchell said.

According to Alabama law, boards of education that fail to fill their superintendent vacancy within 180 days shall have their state funding withheld until one is hired, unless the state superintendent determines the board "exhibits good faith and reasonable effort in progress toward selecting a superintendent."

No other information about what's new for the district's schools was available. Coley didn't respond to the Ledger-Enquirer's request.

Mark Rice, 706-576-6272. Follow him on Twitter @MarkRiceLE.

This story was originally published August 8, 2015 at 8:50 PM with the headline "Here's what's new in Muscogee County, Phenix City, Russell County schools for 2015-16 ."