Pick up your books, backpacks and ball-point pens

Students from the Sewanhaka Central High, Franklin Square Union Free and Elmont Union Free school districts will enter their new classrooms today, Sept. 7. So what’s in store for the 2011-12 school year?

Franklin Square Union Free School District

The Franklin Square district has been especially busy over the summer, being that it’s one of the only local school districts with a comprehensive special education program — its Intense Support Program — which includes a summer component. The district’s summer special education program ran from July 6 to Aug. 16 this year.

A new reading teacher will be serving the district this school year, as well as a new certified special education teacher. One part-time registered school nurse was hired, along with seven permanent and 16 part-time substitute teachers. Because the Franklin Square district is one of the few local districts that’s hiring, it’s received hundreds of resumés this summer.

The Franklin Square district expanded its Guided Reading Program to all grade levels for the 2011-12 school year, and hired additional teaching professionals to create targeted, small group instruction in every classroom. The district is focusing on creating more small group instruction opportunities in the classroom, is looking to establish additional academic intervention services, and is still planning to invest in technological improvements such as interactive whiteboards and updated computer labs.

Elmont Union Free School District

More than 900 students attended summer programs in the Elmont school district, including the 12-day Summer Enrichment Program at the Clara H. Carlson School, the Academic Summer Program at the Dutch Broadway School the Elmont Extended Year Program at the Clara H. Carlson School, and the Elmont SKIP program at the Stewart Manor School.