STUDENTS will be returning to classes this week in Garden Grove, Westminster and Huntington Beach districts (Shutterstock).

The signs have been there for over a month now … The back-to-school sales at Target … the cars gathering in the campus parking lots … The putting away of the boogie boards and the emerging smiles of relief on the faces of parents.

Local school systems in the communities of Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Westminster are opening their doors for the first day of classes this week and next.

Not only will scholars be settling in at their desks, the athletes have been practicing on the fields, stadiums and gyms ring with shouts of triumph and chagrin.

Here’s a breakdown of what and when things are happening in local school systems starting this week with an eye on what’s new for 2019-2020.

Garden Grove Unified School District. The GGUSD is a K-12 district, which serves most of Garden Grove and portions of Anaheim, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster. Classes start on Wednesday (Aug. 28).

Here’s some of what’s new in the GGUSD.

• a new fee-based preschool opening at the Skylark campus. It’s a full-day program with enrichment activities in Spanish, technology, science, engineering, arts, math and more.
• the district’s second Computer Science Academy will launch at Fitz Intermediate School. All Fitz students will take part in learning computer programming, robotics, coding and other computer science skills.
• a new Early College program has been launched at Santiago High School providing students with an opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school.
• the debut of the new stadium at Bolsa Grande High School, which hosted its first football game last Friday.

Westminster School District. The WSD is a K-8 district serving most of Westminster and parts of Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Midway City and Huntington Beach. Classes start on Thursday. Aug. 29

Here’s part of what’s been happening in the WSD.

• The district was the first in California to implement a Vietnamese dual immersion program in 2015 and now offers a similar program in preschool and transitional kindergarten.
• A Spanish dual immersion toddler program opened in April and a Spanish dual immersion program for infants will begin this month.
• Additional to Vietnamese, Spanish and English, the fourth language of coding will be offered to students.

Huntington Beach Union High School District. The HBUHSD is a 9-12 district serving Huntington Beach and parts of Fountain Valley and Westminster. Classes will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

Comprehensive schools are Edison (Huntington Beach), Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Marina (Huntington Beach) and Westminster. Alternative education schools are Valley Vista High (Fountain Valley), Huntington Beach Adult School and Coast High School (Huntington Beach).