Seussical the Musical opens tonight (Thursday) at the Central High School Theater at 7:00 PM. Put on by the Central Community Theatre, the show features nearly 50 Central area kids and teens. The Advocate recently did a story on the play, including a summary and some quotes from the cast. This fun, family-oriented play will run through Sunday’s matinee. For times and tickets, visit the Central Community Theatre Website.

Thursday, July 30 is the end of summer party at the Greenwell Springs Road Library. There will be plenty of snacks and Dance Dance Revolution. If any teens would like to participate, please register by calling Emily Mauldin, the Young Adult Librarian, at 274-4470. The event will last from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

The schedule for the Central Private Rebels 2009/2010 fastpitch softball team is as follows:

Central Community Theatre is now registersing for musical theatre, dance, and singing lessons for 2009/2010. They offer various lessons for ages 5 through adult. Musical theatre classes are available for ages 5-12, dance for musical theatre classes are offered for ages 8 and up, and private voice lessons are available for kids ages 6 and up and for adults. Classes will begin Tuesday, September 8. To learn more or to register, visit the Central Community Theatre Website. You may also call 615-7615 or 938-7433 for more information.

The Central Community School System is discussing making changes to the cell phone policy that has been in place in the past. While considering this, they have been looking into what other school systems are doing and the disciplinary actions that have been taken concerning cell phones. While forminig this revised policy, the Central Community School Board is requesting input from the parents of Central students. If you have an opinion or idea to share concerning this policy, please email Mike Faulk at MFaulk@centralcss.org or contact any member of the Central School Board.

qkp5xsrcya

The new school year is quickly approaching. This year, Central Community Schools have a total enrollment of about 3,800 students, up from 2,500 in 2007. The school schedule is as follows, and may be adjusted after the beginning of school depending on bus routes:

Bellingrath Hills Elementary: 8:00 AM-3:10 PM

Tanglewood Elementary: 8:10 AM-3:20 PM

Central Intermediate: 8:20 AM-3:25 PM

Central Middle: 7:20 AM-2:30 PM

Central High: 7:20 AM-2:30 PM

The first day of school is Monday, Augujst 17 for 1st-12th grades. Pre-K and Kindergarten students do not start until August 24.

Cantral Middle and Central High School will both be holding student orientations for each upcoming grade level. The grades and corresponding dates are as follows:

New 6th Graders: Monday, August 10 at 8 AM at Central Middle

New 7th Graders: Tuesday, August 11 at 8 AM at Central Middle

New 8th Graders: Tuesday, August 11 at 8 AM at Central Middle

(Placement testing at CMS will also be held on August 11 at 9:30 AM. Contact the school for details.)

9th Grade Orientation: Thursday, August 6 from 8 AM- 12 PM at Central High

10th Grade: Wednesday, August 5 from 12 PM- 3 PM at Central High

11th Grade: Wednesday, August 5 from 7:30 AM- 10:30 AM at Central High

12th Grade: Tuesday, August 4 from 7:30 AM- 12 PM at Central High

Orientation Make-Up Day for High School Students: Monday, August 10 from 8 AM- 12 PM

*The first day of school for all of these grades is Monday, August 17.

It is not too late to sign up to help with this year’s Central Relay For Life. The fundraiser, put on by the American Cancer Society, will be on September 25 at the Central High School track this year. If you are interested in volunteering to help with the event in any way, or if you would like to put together a team to participate, you are invited to attend the planning meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, July 21) at the Central Branch Library in the meeting room. The meeting will run from noon to 1 PM. Visit cancer.org to learn more about the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life.

qkp5xsrcya

This Sunday, July 19, Blackwater United Methodist on Blackwater Road is hosting a blood drive. Blackwater works with Our Lady of the Lake several times a year to collect much-needed blood from donors to treast the sick and injured. So come by this Sunday from 9 AM to 1 PM in the fellowship hall and give blood to save a life. Be sure to bring identification, and don’t come on an empty stomach.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, along with the Central Woods Neighborhood Watch Group, will host a Meet-and-Greet Barbeque this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in the newly-restored Kolby BREC Park located at 15500 Central Woods Dr. The event will have food and drinks, a raffle for prizes and a Bounce-N-Around inflatable for kids. Deputies from the Central substation will be on hand to talk to residents.  

In an effort to create a safer environment for residents and to work to decrease drug activity and crime, the EBRSO Community Services Division worked with Central Woods residents to form a Neighborhood Watch Group in January 2009. Since its establishment, the group has worked with the Central City Mayor, BREC, and the Sheriff’s Office in cleaning and restoring the neighborhood’s Kolby BREC Park. The area has also seen a decrease in drug activity and crime due to the proactive residents who say they are committed to make a difference in their community. The group meets every other month on the third Sunday at Kolby Park at 3:00 p.m. The next meeting will be held September 20^th.  

This event is one of many initiatives the Sheriff’s Office is implementing this summer. Earlier this month the Sheriff’s Office along with the Baton Rouge Constable’s Office carried out a warrant round-up and safety event in Central Woods, in which more than 30 law enforcement personnel went into the area, conducted criminal patrols, setup traffic safety checkpoints and went door-to-door to talk to residents. The initiative resulted in 13 arrests and the clearing of 56 outstanding warrants.

“This is not about being here today and gone tomorrow,” Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said. “This is about building a relationship with residents in order to make our community safer for everyone. Crime is a community problem, and it takes all of us working together to fix it.”

The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office sponsors numerous Neighborhood Watch Programs across the parish. The program seeks to team residents up with law enforcement in order to teach residents how to be proactive in their safety and the safety of their community. In the program, deputies teach residents safety tips and attempt to address special concerns of a given neighborhood. Deputies also work to bring residents together in order to enhance communication and help them to look out for one another. For more information about the program, or to request a meeting, contact the Sheriff’s Office at 389-5086.