NATCHEZ &045; Kaleb Myers spent one of his precious last days of summer sitting under racks of school uniforms playing Gameboy while his little sister tried on skirts.

Kaleb has no shame in saying he’s not ready for school and he doesn’t want to go, but after all, he’s 9 &045; it’s normal.

Despite apathy from Kaleb, his mom Carrie Myers was doing what it took Monday to get her children ready for school.

Before going to The Sports Center for uniforms, the family went supply shopping for about-to-be-first-grader Libby. The next stop was Wal-Mart to find khaki pants that fit Kaleb.

The Myers children will start school in Vidalia in three weeks, but their efforts Monday put them well ahead of the game.

&uot;Everybody waits until the last few weeks,&uot; Vidalia’s Rhino Graphics owner Lawrence Chauvin Jr. said. &uot;I’d say, try to get them early, but it’s not going to matter.&uot;

Rhino Graphics sells several brands of uniform shirts, pants and skirts with school logos screen-printed on. They will also add the logo to a shirt for $2.50. Nearly all area schools require logos on their shirts.

Stores like Rhino Graphics receive the approved logos from the schools and carry enough of the uniforms to accommodate the area, but Chauvin said it doesn’t hurt to call in with large orders.

Cynthia Fountain spent around $100 Monday to make sure daughter Shelbivna Trevillion, 5, had a uniform for each day of the week.

Fountain and Trevillion drove down from Jefferson County to get the last of their shopping out of the way.

&uot;The last week before school starts is going to be hectic probably,&uot; she said. &uot;You won’t be able to walk in (The Sports Center).&uot;

Uniform stores have lists of what each school requires. Trinity Episcopal Day School changed their uniform policy this year to require girls to wear only plaid skirts or jumpers.

Shopping isn’t the only school preparation parents need to be spending time on though, administrators said.

Routine

Students used to staying up late and sleeping later will have a harder time adjusting on the first day of school, Natchez-Adams District Parent Center Coordinator Marilyn Turner said.

&uot;Parents need to be getting students acclimated to coming back to school,&uot; she said. &uot;Start conditioning them this week to start going to bed early.&uot;

Trinity Guidance Counselor Lisa Allain said routines are necessary for all students.

&uot;It’s very important to establish a routine so they will not be tired, and they’ll be ready to go on the first day,&uot; she said.

Natchez-Adams schools start on Aug. 5, and Trinity starts on Aug. 11.

Registration

For parents who haven’t yet registered their children, all area schools are open to enrollment.

Most schools will allow registration through the first days of school, but pre-registration is key, Robert Lewis Middle School Principal Bettye Bell said.

&uot;Registering a student is an easy thing, scheduling is not so easy,&uot; Bell said.

Schools need to know how many students they’ll have in order to assign the right amount to each teacher, lunch period or recess period. At RLMS, students who failed last year’s Mississippi Curriculum Test have to take a remediation course and must have it scheduled into their day.

RLMS held a Sunday registration this past weekend to draw in working parents. More than 300 attended.

Positive thinking

For children like Kaleb, who prefer summer to school, carefully placed words from mom and dad can make a big difference, Ferriday Upper Elementary School Principal Lillian Franklin said.

&uot;At this point and time, parents need to start talking positive and proactively about returning to school,&uot; she said. &uot;Get them excited about learning and pay a visit to the school.&uot;

Franklin said parents should set goals with their children for the coming year and encourage them to pick up a book or review skills they learned last year.

Natchez-Adams schools offer activity packets through the parent center at RLMS that are currently available.

Turner encouraged parents to also talk with their children about proper discipline.

&uot;They need to start talking to them about their behavior,&uot; she said. &uot;Go to school with a mindset on education. Being out in the summer they’ve had a lot of freedom to run.&uot;

The first week

All administrators urged parents to visit their child’s school a lot during the first week of school.

Students at a new school need even more support, Turner said.

&uot;(Middle school) is a big adjustment. Coming from elementary, parents need to be in the building. They don’t have to come and stay, but be there for support,&uot; she said.

&uot;The first couple of days we need parents in the building every day.&uot;

Each area school holds open houses or orientations at different times, but Franklin said meeting with teachers is a good way to start off the year.

FUES will have a Meet and Greet Day on Aug. 10 from 1 to 5 p.m. Concordia Parish schools start on Aug. 11.

Turner said it’s also important for parents of older elementary students to continue to emotionally support their children, even if they think they are growing out of it.

&uot;Parents should still give their boys and girls hugs and kisses every day,&uot; she said. &uot;We don’t want parents to stop doing that.&uot;