Warrior Elementary School Principal Mike Frugoli mows the school’s lawn on a sweltering day in preparation for the first day of school.

The first day of school for Jefferson County students will be Wednesday, and north Jefferson County faculty say they’ve been getting ready since the school year ended months ago.

“We’ve been preparing buildings, buying text books, updating our computers, moving student records to the next grade… it’s a process that goes on all summer,” said Fultondale Elementary School principal Cynde Cornelius.

Barbara Snider, principal of Mortimer Jordan High School in Morris, said she was optimistic about the coming school year because of a 91-percent graduation rate for the 2009-2010 school year and strong Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) scores. Only two of 13 high schools in Jefferson County made AYP, one of which included Mortimer Jordan.

“I feel that our continued success is due to the efforts of our students and teachers,” said Snider.

One of Cornelius’ favorite things about being an educator is the first day of school.

“It’s like a fresh, new start every year, and that’s very exciting,” she said. “Those first few weeks are a very enlightening time. That’s why it’s so important that parents let their kids come for those first few days.”

Cornelius said there were many challenges facing teachers this year, but that she feels confident that teachers will be able to overcome them.

“Funding is always a problem,” she said. “Fultondale Elementary is actually too crowded right now. It’s a challenge.”

Mortimer Jordan is now an A+ College Ready grant school, which means the school will be able to offer even more advanced placement (AP) classes than before.

In the previous year, the school’s AYP scores were equal to or were “more qualifying” than Jefferson County schools total summary in several AP classes, including English literature and composition, calculus, U.S. government, macro and microeconomics and studio art.

“The AYP standards are very high and they’re very hard,” Snider said. “We’ll all continue to work hard to make it each year. Each year you have to outperform what you did the year before.” The Jefferson County Board of Education said Mortimer Jordan students will be moving to a new campus in Kimberly in December.

Gardendale Police Chief Mike Walker said the police department is trying to fill two or three paid crossing guard positions.

“You have to be somebody who cares about children, and somebody who can put up with drivers who don’t always act civil,” he said. “Hopefully it won’t be as stressful this year because the traffic situation will be better… Drivers usually work it out in a couple of weeks.”

Despite the presence of crossing guards, Walker said traffic safety is up to motorists.

“Always leave early, especially when school starts,” said Walker. “Not everybody’s always alert without a pot of coffee in them, but it’s important to pay attention. Keep in mind some parents, especially elementary school parents, do walk their kids to school.”

Walker said parents should be receiving instructions from some schools, particularly Gardendale High School, about ways to drop off and pick up their children.