Renovated classrooms and labs, new teachers, lunch price changes and technology upgrades face West students as they return to private and public schools during the next week.

Here's a preview of those changes in a two-part, back-to-school roundup, which begins this week:

The school's 50th year begins with classes for seniors Monday, juniors on Tuesday, sophomores on Wednesday and freshmen Aug. 28. There also will be a welcome program for freshmen at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. All students will report Aug. 29.

Students will find an updated library with new carpeting, fresh paint and brighter lights. Also, the study areas have been improved.

The most significant improvement is the renovation of the chemistry lab, which had not been updated since the school opened in 1959. Improvements were made possible by donations, especially from Jay Shock, the valedictorian of the Class of 1965, who is the chief administrative officer of Bayer Material Science.

Also, the boys and girls locker rooms have been renovated with new flooring, painting and lockers.

The first day of school is Monday. Carnegie and Crafton elementary schools will host open houses at 6:30 p.m. next Thursday. The junior-senior high school open house is Sept. 11.

Twelve classrooms and three labs will be equipped with interactive white boards and multimedia projectors and four mobile labs, each equipped with 30 laptop computers, will be shared between the two floors, thanks to a $110,000 Classrooms of the Future Grant.

The grant is also funding a technology coach to train staff and offer tech support. Computers also were replaced or upgraded at the elementary level.

With a focus on raising math scores, Susan Holzer, a Title 1 math teacher was employed to share time between the two elementary schools.

John Ackermann is the new middle school principal and Yvonne Hawkins is the director of curriculum. Classes begin Monday. An advanced Spanish class was added at the high school. The high school also has a new driving and parking policy, which is available for review on the district Web site. Students will be taught keyboarding, Microsoft Excel in grades 6, 7 and 8, respectively.

Donna Belas is the acting superintendent, Dr. Michael Lucas is the acting building principal and Bill Sacco is the new athletic director. Classes begin Wednesday.

Meal prices will increase by a nickel. Breakfast will be 85 cents and lunches will be $1.55 for elementary, $2 for elementary gourmet; $1.75 for high school, and $2.20 for high school gourmet.

An online social studies course will be offered for the first time at the senior high school for grades 10-12. And the Hilltop, the high school newspaper, will have an online version.

When classes begin for grades 1-8 today, it will be the 60th anniversary of the school, which had been named St. Agatha until 1994. Kindergarten begins Wednesday and preschool starts Sept. 2.

There will be new Spanish textbooks for grades 7-8, a renovated cafeteria floor and the addition of interactive textbooks in core subjects for upper grade levels.

A Super Kids reading program will debut for grade 1.

Half day classes begin today and tomorrow for grades K-8. Full-day classes start Monday and preschool begins Sept. 2.

The cafeteria has new floor and lights and there are several new teachers -- Kristine Finn, fourth grade; Darci Smith, seventh grade; Susan Leininger, computers; Maureen Leech, music.

Girls volleyball and golf and boys golf have been added as sports at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in Midland.

Lincoln Park will field varsity and junior varsity volleyball teams in Section 1AA. The school, which is entering its third year of operations, is a public school providing a state-accredited academic program and training in voice, theater, dance, creative writing and media arts for grades 8-12.

There's a new grading scale: From 90 to 100 percent, A; 80-89 percent, B; 70-79 percent, C; 60-69 percent, D.

Lunch prices will increase 20 cents: elementary standard lunch, $2.40; tiered lunch, $2.90; middle and high school standard lunch, $2.55; tiered lunch, $3.05.

The new high school courses are ethics, practical justice, psychology, sociology and photo journalism (yearbook).

There's a new one-way traffic pattern at the middle school with all vehicles exiting onto University Boulevard at the Moon Clinton Road interesection.

The first day is Monday K-8 and Sept. 8 for preschool. There's a new computer network throughout the building. Thirty-five computers were added to computer labs. There are four new faculty members in language arts, math and social studies.

Classes begin Monday for upperclassmen and Tuesday for freshmen. The first day of classes will be Wednesday for all students at the Catholic high school in Moon.

Elizabeth A. Santillo is the first president of the school, which has been a ministry of the Felician Sisters since 1932. She had been acting CFO of Pittsburgh's Oakland Catholic High School.

Classes begin today for freshmen and sophomores and tomorrow for juniors and seniors.

A new lab program will be introduced for chemistry classes for more hands-on activities. Also new are courses in economics and public speaking.

Classes begin Wednesday for the private school in Moon.

An open house for children and their parents to meet teachers will be from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Monday. A welcome back family picnic will be Sept. 6.

A back-to-school night for students and their parents will be Monday. The first day of classes will be Wednesday at the private school in Robinson.

The new headmaster is Brett Wirebaugh who has been a teacher in the school since 2001-02.

Children in grades 1-8 start classes today and kindergarten pupils begin tomorrow. School will be dismissed at 11 a.m. both days.

The computer lab has been redone and there will be a new science program for grades 1-3. There also will be a new social studies program for all students and a Wise Skills character development program is being introduced.

Children in grades 1-8 begin Monday and kindergarten and preschool children will report Sept. 2.

The school has purchased new desks and the cross country team has new uniforms. There also are new social studies textbooks for grades K-5.

Half-day classes will be today and tomorrow for about 120 children in grades K-8. Classrooms have been painted and cleaned.

Half-day classes will be today and tomorrow for grades K-8. The library has been dedicated to former principal Sister Margaret Berry who died in February.

The new principal is Sister Anna Marie Gaglia.