Editor’s note: The following is 10th in a series of articles previewing the upcoming school year at public and private schools in Athens and Limestone County.

School name: East Limestone High School

Principal: Louis Berry Jr.

Amount of time as principal: 5 years

Grades: 6-12

Total number of students: 1240

Total number of teachers: 64

Total number of support staff: 33

New programs: “A+ College Ready. With that program, you have your teachers that receive training and with that training they focus on the rigor and relevance of the class they teach. Seventh and eighth grades have honor classes — honor biology, honor sciences — on up into the high school ranks. That’s when they look at college classes.”

What makes East Limestone High School special? “Not just working on a social level but on an academic level as well. Seeing kids grow from fifth-graders to seniors. … That’s what makes it worthwhile.”

Primary objectives for 2017-2018: “The same primary objectives for any high school, to improve SAT scores and develop a well-rounded college- or career-ready student.”

What the principal is looking forward to: “I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things, interacting with kids and helping them with any problems or issues they may have while they’re there. … When summertime is here, you miss seeing the kids in the hallway and going into classrooms to see all the activity that’s going on.”