Some 1,710 students will begin the 2009-2010 school year at four Wilkes County schools Friday, with middle and high school students coming to a new, state-of-the-art school complex, and all students attending schools that have met the state's increasingly higher expectations despite budget cuts.

"We have many things to celebrate in Wilkes County," said Dr. Rosemary Caddell, the county's new superintendent of schools. "All of our schools and the entire system made AYP, we have one of the highest graduation rates around, and our middle school and high school students and teachers have a beautiful new facility. We have so much to be excited about."

After a summer filled with moving from the old facility to the new school, the big challenge Friday for the high school and middle school will be making safe entry and exit to the new school complex on Highway 17 north of Washington. Wilkes County deputies will help keep traffic under control as new flashing lights and lower speed limits lend assistance. A diagram of the new system is in this issue of The News-Reporter on page 9A.

Middle and high schoolers are requested not to arrive prior to 7:30 a.m., and Principal Steve Echols says that student drivers, parents dropping off students, visitors, and high school faculty should use the north entrance (the Tignall side). School buses, middle school faculty, and deliveries only may enter campus using the south entrance, on the Washington side.

Once inside the complex, parents dropping off students will need to take the first right turn to loop around to the front door. Student drivers should continue straight back to the student parking in the rear of the complex.

School personnel will be on hand to help with parent and visitor traffic, Echols said, but no one will be directing traffic at either exit from the school. "We ask everyone to cooperate and be patient, especially during the first two weeks as things settle down."

Each school has set Open House events to welcome students and parents. Washington-Wilkes Primary School will hold Open House from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, August 6, with a PTG parent orientation Tuesday, August 11, at 6:30 p.m. The elementary school's Open House is set for Thursday, August 6, from 1 to 3 p.m.

Washington-Wilkes Middle School will host its Open House Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the new school, and underclassmen at WWCHS will have their Open House Wednesday, August 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the new gym. Open House for freshmen and their parents will be Thursday, August 6, at 6:30 p.m.