Bios of new staff members, along with faculty assignments and school supply lists, are included in the special back-to-school section in this week’s issue.
There are also articles about precautions being taken in light of the pandemic, a new registration program, and vaccination requirements.
See Section C for details.
By Lynsi Musselman
Old Jail Art Center’s virtual camps started this week, with another workshop scheduled for next week.
OJAC education director Erin Whitmore said the Cultural Connections Camp had a great enrollment with several campers from out-of-town and around the state.
There are three spots available for the Things on Strings and Tonkawa Camp next week.
Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales taxes on August 7-9, the state’s annual tax holiday.
School supply items and clothing make up the list of exempt items, which until four years ago had been limited to clothing and backpacks.
Online shopping is also covered.
The law exempts most school supplies, clothing and footwear priced under $100 from sales and use taxes, which could save shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend.
By Lynsi Musselman
Keeping healthy during the school year is not a new concern for families but with COVID-19 worries, precautions are being taken even more seriously than usual.
Albany Independent School district administrators and staff have been hard at work all summer preparing to welcome students back to school in a safe environment.
AISD school nurse Lisa Russell said plans are in the works to help make monitoring of students’ health at two campuses more manageable.
By Lynsi Musselman
New students at Albany High School and Albany Junior High school, including all incoming seventh graders, are urged to register online for a time slot to come to campus for a personal face-to-face orientation.
The interactive signup form is posted on the Albany Jr/Sr High School Facebook page, as well as on the district’s website.
The orientation dates are scheduled for Aug. 12, 13, and 14, and will not be the traditional in-person group meeting that has taken place in previous years.
By Lynsi Musselman
Ragin’ Red Band members and the new Albany band director William Vaughn met this week to begin summer practices.
Vaughn said practice will take place mainly in the band hall starting at 5:00 p.m. each night until Aug. 14.
The 28-member band will not be able to start marching practice on the field on Sept. 7, due to UIL restrictions.
“In order to get ready for practice to start this week, a lot of clean-up of the band hall took place,” Vaughn said.
By Lynsi Musselman
While it may seem like spring break never ended, the first day of the 2020-2021 school year is approaching for Shackelford County students, and new school supplies are in demand.
ResourceCare’s annual Adopt-a-Buddy program benefits in-need students countywide with supplies for a successful school year.
The deadline has passed to register a student for the program, but donations are still being accepted to fulfill the supply needs.
Agricultural producers can now apply for USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which provides direct payments to offset impacts from the coronavirus pandemic. The application and a payment calculator are now available online, and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) staff members are available via phone, fax and online tools to help producers complete applications. The agency set up a call center in order to simplify how they serve new customers across the nation.
By Lynsi Musselman
Albany sports fans are invited to attend the All-Sports Athletic Booster Club Hamburger Supper that will be held at the Bank Park on Monday, Aug. 10 at 6:00 p.m.
The community event will serve a packaged meal in brown bags, handed to guests with a bottle of water for a cost of $7 to the general public.
High school athletes and coaches eat free of charge.
Junior varsity and varsity cheerleaders will make complimentary homemade ice cream, to be pre-served in cups with lids.
By Melinda L. Lucas
Pictures for varsity and JV football players and volleyball players have been set for this week, with cheerleaders next week.
Volleyball players will meet Thursday (today) starting at 5:00 p.m. Locations for the three teams will be announced by coach M.J. Reneau at practices.
Football players and coaches are scheduled for pictures at 1:00 p.m. Friday at Robert Nail Stadium.
The group picture of the senior members of the football and cheer squads will be taken on Friday afternoon about 1:45 p.m.
