Countdown to school start picks up speed
By Kathy Thomson
School starts two weeks from today and the final countdown for the new school year is well underway, with both campuses fully staffed and facility maintenance projects nearing completion.
Registration for the majority of new pupils entering Nancy Smith Elementary School was conducted yesterday, and new student registration at the secondary campus will take place next week.
Registration
Parents of elementary or secondary students new to the district, as well as those who still need to be enrolled in either pre-kindergarten or Head Start, should make sure to bring the child’s birth certificate, immunization records, and Social Security card, as well a parent’s drivers license and proof of residence (like a utility bill showing the parent or guardian’s name and address) with them to registration.
NSES held new student registration yesterday, and parents of any new elementary students who did not register on Wednesday, July 31, need to enroll their child as soon as possible so administrators and teachers can work with accurate student numbers.
Anyone requesting enrollment in pre-K or Head Start, and all students new to the district who will be entering kindergarten through sixth grade need to register at the elementary office.
The registration system for returning students at NSES is available online at reg.albanyisd.net and parents who have not already completed the online forms need to do so ASAP.
“About half of the returning students have already registered, and about half have not,” said public education information management system coordinator Lillian Wheeler on Monday. “If you haven’t gotten registered, and you are the parent of a current NSES student, please go online and do so. Parents new to the system who did not register at the scheduled time on Wednesday can come in to the school office from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.”
For more information, contact the NSES office at 325-762-3384.
Most returning students at AJ/SH have already registered for their fall classes, according to secondary principal Edward Morales.
“Aug. 1 is when students can start picking up their schedules, and anyone who still needs to register can do so,” Morales said. “The office will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. five days a week.”
For more information, call the high school office at 325-762-3974.
Pre-K and Head Start
There are still openings in the Head Start and pre-kindergarten classes, according to new elementary principal John Gallagher.
Parents of children who did not qualify for Head Start can come in to see if the child might qualify for pre-kindergarten.
Parents enrolling students in either pre-K or Head Start need to provide proof of income in addition to the registration documents listed previously in this article, and the child needs to qualify.
Criteria for the programs include any one or more of the following: eligible for free or reduced lunch program, having a parent that is on active duty in the military or who was injured or killed during military service, homeless children, students unable to speak and comprehend English, children in Child Protective Services, or having a parent who has been selected for the Star of Texas award.
Meet the Teacher
A “Meet the Teacher” event is planned for Tuesday, Aug. 13, and is designed primarily for parents to meet their child’s teacher. Pre-K through second grade teachers will be on hand for Meet the Teacher from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m., while third through sixth grade instructors will meet with parents from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m.
A list of student classroom assignments at NSES will be posted at the event, although most teachers will have notified the parents before that night.
Orientation for new Albany Junior/Senior High School students and parents (including incoming seventh graders) will at 6:00 p.m. in the snack bar.
All students and their parents are welcome to attend Meet the Teacher.
The purpose of this event is to simply provide an opportunity for the parents and students to be introduced to their new teacher and learn a few important details about the first day of school.
The information is especially important for parents of younger children and is geared toward making the first day of school run smoothly.
“We encourage specific detailed conversations between the parent and teacher to be scheduled with the teacher at a different time,” said superintendent Jonathan Scott. “This allows everyone the opportunity to have enough time to make their introductions.”
If a teacher conference needs to take place before the start of school, the parents should schedule one by contacting the school office, added Scott.
Computers
The school district provides MacBook Air laptops to all students in grades 10 to 12, and Chromebooks to those in fifth through ninth grades, according to AISD technology director Dan Key.
Students at the secondary campus are required to complete and sign all of their paperwork, including computer use forms, student handbook acknowledgment form, and student code of conduct, as well as pay the computer usage fee before they can pick up their laptop or Chromebook.
The computers will be available in Room 302, Kevin Hill’s room, according to Key.
Fifth and sixth graders at NSES will be issued Chromebooks, and their parents are required to sign an acceptable user agreement. The elementary students are not charged a fee, since they are not allowed to take the tablets home, but they are held accountable for any damages, according to Scott.
“We wanted a plan that put the technology in their hands, but under close supervision that allowed us the opportunity to teach proper use and care,” Scott said. “The Chromebooks allow different ways for students to turn in their work, and the ability for us to use some online textbooks.”
Classroom instruction and assignments are tailored around the use of the technology when appropriate, according to Scott.
Facilities
Most summer maintenance projects and repairs are scheduled to be completed before school starts on Thursday, Aug. 15.
“This summer the floors have been waxed, carpets cleaned, and other improvement projects are undergoing,” said Gallagher. “Classrooms are being set up for the start of the school year.”
The secondary campus is almost ready for the new year as well.
“We are trying to get everything done,” said Ryder Peacock, who oversees the maintenance at AJ/SH. “The classrooms and buildings should be ready for students to start, and we hope to be out of the teachers’ way so they can get set up. Although I would like for everything to be perfect at both the campus and the athletic fields, maintenance is an ongoing, everyday thing.”
According to Peacock, maintenance crews have primarily been working on painting, stripping and waxing floors, cleaning the carpet, and refinishing the gym floor.
“The new Graham Memorial Pavilion will really dress up the tennis courts and will be a great place for the students after school and during lunch,” he said. “The concrete has been poured, but I don’t know what the estimated completion date is.”
Peacock explained that he is not in charge of the building project because it is being funded by private donations.
Peacock added that the softball field had some major upgrades since last year, but that was not funded by AISD either.
“Even though we get to use it, that field is owned by the city, and they did the improvements,” he said.
Staff Preparation
New teacher training will take place on Monday, Aug. 5 at 9:00 a.m. at NSES room 107.
Returning teachers will officially start their school year with staff development days on Tuesday through Thursday, Aug. 6-8. A back-to-school staff breakfast will be served on Wednesday, Aug. 7.
Comp days are on the school calendar for Friday, Aug. 9 and Monday, Aug. 12. Teacher workdays are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 13-14.
Teachers will have a total of five comp days this school year. They may have earned time off for some of those comp days by attending professional development events over the summer break and turning in the required certificates.
The annual Back-to-School Breakfast for the AISD teachers, staff, and school board is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 7, at 8:30 a.m. at the NSES cafeteria, and will be followed by the district meeting at 9:00 a.m.
Professional development breakout sessions will take place after the district meeting on Aug. 7.
All faculty and staff members are expected attend the breakfast and the district meeting.
Eleven new staff members have joined AISD this year, including principal Gallagher, fourth grade teacher Whitney Bennett, pre-K instructor Audrey Faith, third grade teacher Heather McClure, and first grade instructor Lori Warren at NSES.
New faculty at the secondary campus include Michaela Bradford in agribusiness, Dakota Fowler in language arts, M.J. Reneau in math, Melanie Turner in English, and Jamie Wilson in history. Fowler, Reneau, and Wilson will also coach.
Band director Richard Murrow has classes at both the elementary and secondary campupses.
A few changes also took place within the existing staff. Susie Beard, Kenzie Fairchild, and Lauren Peacock moved to the elementary campus.
Substitute teachers are invited to sign up at the superintendent’s office.
Early Extracurricular
Many extracurricular activities for secondary students begin before the start of the school year.
Volleyball two-a-days started on Aug. 1, and football will start Monday, Aug. 5, as will band.
The cross country team members will begin their season on Aug. 5.
The Athletic Booster Club sponsored Hamburger Supper is set for Monday, Aug. 12, at 6:00 p.m. at the Bank Park.
School Begins
Classes for the 2019-2020 school year start Thursday, Aug. 15.
The first bell will ring at 7:50 a.m., and classes start at 7:55 at Nancy Smith again this year.
The secondary campus will begin five minutes later, at 8:00 a.m.
Student holidays will take place on Sept. 2 (Labor Day), Oct. 14 (Columbus Day), Nov. 27-29 (Thanksgiving), Dec. 23 to Jan. 6 (Christmas), Jan. 20 (MLK Day), Jan. 24 (stock show), Feb. 17 (Presidents Day), March 9-13 (spring break), April 10 (Good Friday), April 13 (Easter Monday), and May 21.
Graduation is set for May 22.
School Supplies
School supply lists for elementary students are available at The Albany News and posted in various stores in town.
