By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Class schedules and offerings are changing at Clanton Middle School for the 2017-2018 school year.

Principal Carla White said the school is going from eight class periods to seven. This will eliminate a second English/Language Arts period, giving each core subject the same amount of time.

Project Lead the Way classes are being added for all grade levels.

“In our sixth-grade classes, they will have the introduction to Google documents and keyboarding and introduction to coding or computer programing. Our seventh-grade classes will be doing computer science app creators. They will be learning how to create apps and different things like that,” White said.

Eight-grade students will be studying automation and robotics.

While eighth-grade students have had PLTW opportunities in the past, this will be the first year all students have the opportunity. White said due to scheduling band students would not be able to participate, but everyone else will be taking the PLTW courses.

“Our students will be able to be exposed to more technology and allow them to work on using Google. A lot of our classes are using Google classroom now,” White said.

Google Classroom is used by teachers to create lesson plans, while students use it to submit homework and collaborate on group projects.

“We are working toward a one-to-one technology initiative where all students will have a computer,” White said.

CMS is about halfway to the goal with 300 Chromebooks available.

The Project Lead the Way program is a good preparation for students to begin thinking about potential engineering classes in high school or classes at LeCroy Career Technical Center as well as possible career, White said. She said students she talked to last year were excited about the coming changes.

“I think the students are going to be excited about the changes and being able to get exposure to different things … that they may be more interested in,” White said.

Also new for this year, CMS will not allow locker decorations.

Orientation for new students will be held on Aug. 2 from 9 to 11 a.m.  Students who will be new to the school system will need to pick up an orientation folder prior to Aug 2. Packets can be picked up from the school Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Open house for all students and parents will be held on Aug 8. The first session will be from 9-11 a.m. The second session will be held 1-2:30 p.m. White said the two options are being offered to allow parents to come when is best for them. The Open House will give students time to meet teachers, staff and address schedule issues. Sixth grade students will need to submit an updated vaccination record.