District expects 500+ students

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany ISD was again expecting just over 500 students with the start of the new school year Wednesday (yesterday), indicating that beginning enrollment has been steady for the past three years.

Following “Meet the Teacher” sessions at both Nancy Smith Elementary and the Albany Junior/Senior High campuses on Monday evening, local administrators were looking for a total of 501 total students to show up for classes yesterday for the first day of school.

The same exact count of 501 students was reported last year.

According to Leigh Lowe, Director of Student Services, the number enrolled at the junior high/senior high campus as of Tuesday was 240, compared to 243 at the start of the 2021-22 school year. The elementary numbers were 261 on Tuesday, compared to 258 a year ago.

“We are right at the same number with 501 students expected for the first day of classes,” Lowe said. “That is a good number for us since our goal was 500.”

She is being optimistic that the numbers will hold after the semester starts.

“It always seems like we have few who registered but don’t show up on the first day for various reasons,” she said. “It is of course important for us to keep our enrollment numbers up to maximize funding from the state that is based on average daily attendance (ADA).”

The district reported 503 students on the first day of classes in 2020, however, 16 of those registered as remote learners due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lowe said the district may still gain a few more students by the end of the week.

“We are hoping there are a few stragglers who show up,” she said. “ They still have to go through the online enrollment process, but we will be available to help them navigate signing up on a computer when they get here.”

Lowe said that a parent must accompany each student still needing to enroll, and those new to the district will have to provide documentation to determine if they indeed live in the district.

“We have to go through a verification process with people who are new to the district,” Lowe said. “At this point they need to go to the principal’s office at the appropriate campus to get signed up.”

She added that enrollment in Head Start and Pre-K are still being accepted with a total of 24 students in the two programs. Students must meet certain requirements to qualify for either program based on income or special needs.

Few Changes Noted

Both campuses will be using the same start times as last year. The elementary tardy bell will ring at 7:55 a.m., while classes will start at 8:00 a.m. at the secondary school.

Students can be dropped off at the elementary school at 7:30 a.m., which is also when the cafeteria opens for breakfasts. Students must go through the serving line by 7:45 a.m.

At the secondary campus, the doors open at 7:35 a.m. along with the cafeteria for breakfast.

Security Increased

Visitors on both campuses will notice an increase in security measurers this year.

Parents or visitors just dropping off items in either school office or meeting with school personnel in the principal’s office will not notice much of a change.

All visitors are required to enter at the main entrance at each school where they can be admitted to drop off items at the school office or meet with the school’s principal.

Any visitors seeking to enter a classroom, the cafeteria, or the auditorium areas will need to present a driver’s license at the school office in order for a visitor’s pass to be printed.

The license will be held in the office while the visitor is on the campus. It will be returned as the visitor exits the main entrance.

This is a change in procedure at Nancy Smith Elementary this year. The campus did not have the scanning devise required to check a driver’s license in order for a visitor to be cleared to enter.

However, the equipment is now in place and the office staff has been trained.

The secondary campus utilized the security procedure during the last school year.

“If a parent or relative is just dropping something off at the office, they will not be required to be scanned in with their driver’s license,” secondary principal Glen Hill said. “If they are coming onto campus for a meeting with a teacher or someone other than the principal, or for a presentation of some sort, then they will be required to go through the process.”

The same procedure will apply at the grade school.