Grabbing the spotlight over the summer has been the many changes public school teachers and administration will have to encounter for the new school year.

So, what does that mean to the student who will be sitting in the classroom listening to the teachers? Will the student see a big difference in the classroom because of the new state guidelines recently adopted by the state legislature?

Yes and no.

Vermilion Parish Superintendent Randy Schexnayder said what the average student may notice in the classroom is that the teacher is going to demand more from the student than in the past. The reason is because a teacher’s job could be in jeopardy if a teacher’s students are performing below state expectations.

‘‘For the most part, students are not going to see a change (in the classroom),” Schexnayder said. “There will be some who will feel the pressure. The teachers in this parish have high expectations from its students.”

All Vermilion Parish public schools begin Wednesday. Vermilion Catholic High School opens on Monday.

Pre-K and kindergarten students report Aug. 20.

One change students and parents in public schools will notice is when they will be getting their report cards. In the past, report cards were handed out every six weeks. This year the grading period is now every nine weeks.

This allows teachers to give more grades. The student will be given four report cards instead of six.

The first nine weeks begin Wednesday and end Nov. 19, 2012. The students will attend 47 school days in that period. The next nine weeks go from Nov. 22 to Jan. 11 of 2013.

Schexnayder said he predicts the parish will have an increase in students this year. He will not know how many until two weeks into the school year.

He will only be superintendent until January and then he will step down and let Jerome Puyau (pronounced P.O.) take over. Schexnayder will be the new assistant superintendent. He will take Charlotte Waguespack’s place. She will retire in January.