BATON ROUGE - For the first time in 15 years, Capitol High students will return to the East Baton Rouge School District with a new outlook.

"We're really excited to welcome both all of the lions and the alumni association, they've been fighting for this for a number of years," Geno Mclaughlin with East Baton Rouge Schools said.

The state seized Capitol High in 2008 when students' test grades and scores didn't meet the standard. Over the years, Capitol High changed hands, creating inconsistencies for students.

"After cycling through several different charters, the alumni were eager, and the community was eager to welcome Capitol back," Mclaughlin said. "It's a really historic school."

15 years later, changes are happening, and administrators are prioritizing where the school fell short in 2008.

"One of the areas we're going to target is the ACT," Capitol High principal Brandon Fontenot said. "We're going to target that and support the kids through it, support the staff through it, and make sure everyone has the tools to be successful."

With this being Capitol's return to the district, Fontenot acknowledged there will be pressure.

"It's a lot but we can handle it, and we'll make sure we're ready to go for the first day of school," he said.

Programs like Focus Choice will put students on track to earn their associates degree with their high school diplomas. 

"Our kids can be successful in that and we're going to see them through it," Fontenot said.

Saturday, the school is hosting a block party to recruit students.

"It's a recruiting tool, we'll get to talk about all of the new programs that students can expect when they show up," Mclaughlin said.

At the end of June, firefighters put out a fire in the school's greenhouse. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, administrators are confident that it won't disrupt the start of the school year.

The block party is scheduled for Saturday from noon to six.