Appointments now needed to register

By Donnie A. Lucas

Following a week of online enrollment and three in-person days for registration, school officials reported that over 90 percent of expected students have been registered for the new school year that starts next Wednesday, Aug. 17.

Overall enrollment for all grade levels stood at 461 at the end of the last in-person day for registration on Monday, leaving officials still looking for just under 30 more students to be officially signed up.

Parents will now be required to call the campus office if they need to register a student in order to make an appointment for registration.

“Most of the staff will be in meetings this week and will be hard to catch, so we are asking parents to call to set up an appointment,” said Leigh Lowe, director of student services. “We still need those parents to come in and register rather than just send students on the first day of classes.”

Lowe said that there are still five secondary students who are expected to enroll who haven’t come in, and the number is near 25 students at the elementary campus.

“We ended the year in May with just over 500 students,” she said. “We think that number might be down slightly, but we have picked up several new students.”

She added that a smaller than usual seventh grade class is moving up to the secondary campus, while the size of the senior class remained about the same as last year.

The registration process has been going smoothly, according to Lowe.

“Parents of students who are already in the system are saying that the enrollment process is going fast,” she said. “It is just a matter of updating and verifying information for the most part.”

Lowe added that administrators are pleased with the over 90 percent already enrolled.

The district reported 505 students on the first day of classes last year and 522 on the first day of classes in 2020.

“It looks like we will have about 490 students on the first day this year, which is down a little,” Lowe said.

Free and Reduced Meal Applications

All parents are being asked to complete the form for the free and reduced lunch program, even if they do not plan to participate.

“We are getting everyone to fill out the application,” Lowe said. “Even if a student does not plan to eat at the school, that application process is tied to other programs and drives important decisions and funding.”

As a Title I school district, applications are needed in order for the district to continue to participate in other Title I programs that are funded by the federal government.

“We need everyone to help us, even if they don’t think they qualify,” Lowe said. “The process is confidential and no one will have access to a family’s individual financial information.”

Elementary

Registration Process

Parents of elementary students are asked to contact the school immediately if they haven’t started the online process.

Appointments can be made by calling 325-762-3384.

“We can talk them through what needs to be done, or they can come up to the school to let us help them,” said Lillian Wheeler in the elementary office. “It still has to be completed online, but we are here to help.”

One of the reasons that all enrollments must be completed online is to have parents acknowledge school rules and policies, as well as update information such as cell phone numbers.

Secondary

Registration

While fewer numbers are expected to still register at the secondary level, principal Glen Hill said that the process still starts with the online registration.

An appointment to register can be made by calling 325-762-3974.

“Those who haven’t registered need to make an appointment to come in so we can help them complete the online registration,” he said. “After they register, they can pick up their schedules, and we will give them their laptops.”

All students are reminded that a $25 computer use fee must be paid before a computer will be issued.

Students wanting to make changes to their schedules can come to the counselor’s office prior to the start of classes.

“Anyone who gets their schedule and wants to make a change can go ahead and come see me,” new secondary counselor Kelly Windham said. “I’d rather try to take care of any changes before classes start next Wednesday if possible.”