Students can register on Portal, in person
By Donnie A. Lucas
In-person registration for new Albany ISD students continues this afternoon at the high school campus for both elementary and secondary students.
Personnel from both campuses will be on hand from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m. at the high school building to assist with registering students new to the district or help parents having trouble with the online registration for returning students.
All students need to be registered either in person or online for the new school year.
The district is once again using the Ascender Parent Portal for registration, with a link available on the district website. Parents are instructed to access the “Parents Resources” tab, then look for the “Registration” or Registration Help.”
“I have created a tab titled ‘Registration Help’ for anyone having a problem registering online,” said Leigh Lowe, director of student services. “There are step-by-step instructions on how to complete the registration process.”
Parents can log in to an existing account or create a new account if they do not have one. Follow the instructions provided on the website. New students can also be registered online if a parent creates an account on the portal and uploads all the required documents.
Parents of new students who have not registered yet are urged to come this afternoon or call the campus their child will attend to arrange for in-person help next week.
“Of course we can still help register students next week, but we are asking that parents come in as quickly as possible to complete registration,” Lowe said.
In-person Registration
Staff members will be available this afternoon at the secondary hallway to assist parents from either campus.
Elementary personnel will be at the high school to assist with K-6 new student registration or help parents having an issue registering through the online portal.
All parents are asked to use a cell phone as the main contact number if they have one, as well as providing a current email address.
“Both campuses will be using School Messenger to contact parents again this year, so we need the number of the primary person who needs to receive texts and emails,” Lowe said. “If there has been a change in contact information since last year, we need parents or guardians to make those changes in the Asender Parent Portal.”
The registration process is virtually the same for both the elementary and secondary campuses this year, but it is consolidated in the high school main building.
All students in grades 7-12 who registered online are asked to come to the high school in person to sign their personal graduation plans, according to secondary counselor Brittney Harmon.
School laptops will also be issued to students in grades 7-12 this afternoon during in-person registration. Parents are reminded that there is a $25 computer use fee that is due prior to picking up laptops.
Elementary students will use classroom sets of computers that can not be taken off the campus.
Class schedules for grades 7-12 will not be available for students until Tuesday, Aug. 15 starting at 8:00 a.m.
New Student
Registration
Any students who are new to the district can still use the Ascender protocol to register, but will have to upload required documents by scanning them with their phones and submitting them through the website.
Items required for registration include the student’s birth certificate, shot record, proof of residency, copy of driver’s license, student social security card, and a transcript or report cards (for grades 7-12).
Officials added that it may be easier for parents of new students to bring the documents and register in person so school personnel can scan the required documents.
Meet the Teachers
Both campuses have tentatively announced Meet the Teacher sessions on Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Students entering grades K-6 will meet from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Nancy Smith Elementary campus.
Students who will attend junior high and high school classes can meet with teachers from 6:00 until 7:00 p.m. An informational meeting will be held first in the auditorium at 6:00 p.m., followed by parents and students visiting teachers and classrooms.
Head Start
There are still spots available for both the Head-Start and Pre-K programs offered at the elementary school.
New and returning Head Start families can pick up applications at the high school during the in-person registration day on Aug. 3. Required documents for Head Start are income verification (tax return or pay stubs), birth certificate, immunization records, insurance card, CHIPS or Medicaid information, social security card, and proof of residency (parent’s driver’s license or identification card).
Head Start Family Services director Anabel Castillo will work with families to determine eligibility and complete the official enrollment paperwork.
Pre-K Program
Gallagher said parents of students who do not qualify for Head Start can also attend in-person registration to determine if they qualify for pre-kindergarten.
Parents enrolling students in pre-kindergarten will also need to provide proof of income.
Students who will be four years of age prior to Sept. 1 have priority over younger students if space is limited, but right now there is not a waiting list.
Criteria to qualify for the program include any one or more of the following qualifiers: eligible for free or reduced lunch program, a parent who is on active duty in the military or who was injured or killed during military service, homeless, students unable to speak and comprehend English, children in CPS, and children of a Star of Texas award winner.
All students being registered will need a copy of the child’s birth certificate, student’s social security number, proof of residency, and parent’s driver’s license or identification card.
Parents can call NSES with questions about Head Start and Pre-K at 325-762-3384 during office hours from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Free/Reduced Meals
All parents are being asked to complete and return the application for the Free and Reduced Meal Program, even if they do not plan to have their student use the program.
“We are asking everyone to fill out that application since we are a Title I school,” Lowe said. “Those numbers are used in several areas in determining the funding that is available to the district. It isn’t just about eating meals at school.”
The school board recently set the price for student meals. The cost for breakfast at either campus will be $2.05 during the school year, while the elementary lunch price was set at $2.65 and $2.75 for secondary students.
Prices for adult meals are set at $3 for breakfast and $4.65 for lunch.
The price for students who qualify for reduced pricing are 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch.
