There are expected to be a few changes for students and parents when public schools begin Aug. 15.

At school board committee meetings on Monday, school board members on certain committees listened and approved all of the recommended changes made to them by school personnel.

The changes range from the price of school lunch to how long a grading period will be.

In the Education Committee, school board members heard a presentation by North Vermilion Principal Greg Theriot about changing the grading periods from six weeks to nine weeks.

He gave a brief presentation to the board members and explained to them that the parish principals approved the switch.

School Board member Tony Fontana said if the principals approve it, then he saw no problem with switching to nine weeks.

Theriot said the main reason for the switch is because of the increase in state testing students are having to take throughout the school year. Because of the state tests, teachers are having a hard time finding time to give tests of their own.

By expanding the period to nine, it will give teachers ample time to teach once testing is over. Also, student’s progress reports will go out every four weeks.

There will be four nine-week periods in the school year, compared to six six-week periods.

Students will have 178 days of instructional time, the same as before.

The School Board is expected to approve the new grading period at Thursday’s meeting.

The first nine weeks will begin Aug. 15 and last until Oct. 19. All holidays will stay the same.

Many surrounding parishes are on a nine-week grading schedule, Theriot added.

Also, the price of lunch will be increasing by 20 cents per meal if the board OKs the increase at Thursday's meeting.