It's the First Day of School for Pine-Richland Students!

As sleepy-eyed children tumble out of bed this morning throughout the Pine-Richland community, school buses will rev up to take them to their much-anticipated [or dreaded] first day of school.

The start of the school year for Pine-Richland schools came later than usual this year to give construction crews the maximum amount of time to work on renovations and expansion at .

Changes at the high school include a renovated administration wing with a new guidance suite and expanded nurse's office. The cafeteria and kitchen areas also are new, improved and expanded.

The STEAM addition for science, technology, engineering, art and math classes still is under construction, with completion planned for the 2012-13 school year.

"During the 2011-2012 school year, the expansion project will have very little impact on student operations," Superintendent Dr. Mary Bucci said in a message to the community.

Another noticeable difference at the high school is the reconfigured parking lot and access roads. 

For the first time, students in the high school and at will be charged an activity fee. The $80 fee will allow a student to participate in an unlimited number of activities and sports.

Students at will meet a new principal, Mary Catherine Reljac. At the middle school, Rebecca Stephan has been hired as the new assistant principal.

Prior to starting her job at Eden Hall in July, Reljac was the principal of Ramsey Elementary School in the Gateway School District in Monroeville, Pitcairn Elementary School and Moss Side Elementary School. She also served from 2006-2010 as Gateway’s federal programs coordinator while conducting her principal duties. 

She earned a Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility from the California University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in educational leadership, and secondary and elementary certifications from Carlow College, according to Pine-Richland's website. She earned her bachelor of science in music education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. 

The middle school's new assistant principal, Stephan, previously served as an assistant principal at Pope Elementary School in Arlington, TX. 

Other changes in Pine-Richland schools include:

• New student information system for grades 4-12 that allows parents to view grades online. The system is not ready yet.

• New phone system on the secondary campus - "The existing system crashed, and the new system will improve communication across the secondary campus. In the next few years, we will upgrade the phone system in our primary schools," Bucci wrote in her message.

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