By Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Coordinator
In this episode of The Buzz Podcast, we’re joined by assistant superintendents Ginger Morrison and Jami Ivey. The conversation focuses on two things: a grant that allows the Andrews Center to offer mental health services to ALL community members, and our new summer enrichment program being offered to targeted students.
Highlights from the podcast:
At 0:44 — Mrs. Morrison recaps how Next Step Community Solutions has partnered with Athens ISD over the past two years to bring licensed professional counselors to our middle school and high school students. It’s a program that has been heavily utilized, especially during the pandemic.
At 1:15 — During the upcoming school year, AISD will partner with the Andrews Center thanks to a grant from the Texas Department of Emergency Management. The grant will allow us to offer emotional support for staff and students who need help with coping strategies and mental health needs. This could be through face-to-face counseling or a number of other resources. In fact, assistance is already available for anyone who calls the emotional support line at 903-251-4988. “They can pick up the phone and call right now, and the Andrews Center already has this up and going,” said Mrs. Morrison. “Anyone in the community can take advantage of it. It’s not just our students.”
At 4:11 — “We felt we needed something completely different than traditional summer school,” said Mrs. Ivey of the summer enrichment program that just kicked off. “So we looked at a way to offer some hands-on, Vacation Bible School-type activities with our students that are still academic. … So it’s not traditional.” Toward that end, AISD partnered with organizations such as the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center and the local Boy Scout ranch to provide non-traditional activities like fishing and archery. Ten economically disadvantaged students from each grade level at each of the three elementary campus have been invited to participate in the program, June 7-24. “They’ll learn without realizing they’re learning,” said Mrs. Ivey.
At 5:46 — If you have a student who was not enrolled in the previous school year and is ready for kindergarten or first grade, please call 903-677-6900 to get your student enrolled for the coming year. And if you have a child who will be 3 or 4 by Sept. 1, call the same number and ask to see if they qualify for our free pre-K3 or pre-K4 classes.
AT 7:05 — For returning students, it’s time to provide proof of residency in order to be enrolled in the upcoming school year. Please call your student’s campus during business hours Monday-Thursday and ask how to provide proof of residency.
The school year is over. But things are still happening