While most schools in Pike County do not begin classes until August 9, some students will be on campus for the first time this school year today.

Charles Henderson High School will hold its orientation today for seniors at 9 a.m., and for juniors at 1 p.m.

Sophomores will meet Thursday for orientation at 9 a.m., while freshmen will round out the orientation schedule at 1 p.m. Thursday.

Elsewhere within Troy City Schools, Charles Henderson Middle School will hold its sixth grade orientation Thursday at 6 p.m., followed by locker day Friday for sixth graders from 8-10 a.m. and for seventh and eighth graders from 10-noon.

Troy Elementary School, meanwhile, will not have students on its campus until August 2, when class assignments can be picked up from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

There will be an orientation at TES for first graders and new students August 5 at 5:30 p.m., and parents may drop off school supplies August 6 from 1-3:30 p.m.

TCS Superintendent Linda-Felton Smith said she is anxious to begin the school year.

“We are very excited about the 2010-11 school year, and we can’t wait to spend time with our staff beginning August 3,” Felton-Smith said. “We’ll use that time to get focused on our goals for the school year, and we’ll all be excited to welcome our students August 9.”

Pike County Schools will also be getting classes underway August 9, and will play host to several events prior to the start of school.

Goshen High School will hold an open house August 3, while Goshen Elementary will hold an open house August 5.

At GES, kindergarten and first grade students will be welcomed from 6-6:30 p.m. on August 5, while second and third graders will meet their teachers from 6:30-7 p.m.

Fourth through sixth graders will round out the open house from 7-7:30 p.m.

Banks School will host Parents’ Night August 5 for parents of kindergarten through third grade students at 6 p.m., and for parents of fourth through sixth grade students at 7 p.m.

Pike County Elementary will have a meet and greet, open house and registration all August 5 at 5 p.m.

PCS superintendent Mark Bazzell said the schools are ready to welcome students back to the classroom.

“We’re in good shape,” Bazzell said. “We’re staffed like we need to be, and we have a slate of activities lined up for our staff to ensure everyone is ready for when students arrive.”

While the two public school systems will begin classes August 9, Pike Liberal Arts will begin its classes August 6.

Prior to that date, PLAS will hold its high school orientation August 3 at 6 p.m., and its K4-K5 open house August 5 at 6 p.m.

New Life Christian Academy, Collegedale Christian School and Covenant Christian School will all begin classes August 9.

NLCA will hold orientation August 5 at 6:30 p.m., and Covenant will hold its parent orientation August 5 at 7 p.m.