BEAUMONT, Texas — Beaumont school administrators only have a few more days to prepare for the fall 2021 semester, and they want to make sure every child that is supposed to be in class is.
Beaumont Independent School District officials are going into the community to hold last-minute registration mobile events to help parents register students online, and to show the community that Beaumont ISD cares.
The mobile registration events let school officials meet Southeast Texas parents where they are and answer any questions or concerns they may have.
On Thursday, Beaumont ISD officials were at Plymouth Village Apartments. They set up tables and computers for parents to come in and get help registering their children.
“We want to avoid those crowds and lines of people needing to register,” Veronica Redmon, BISD parent involvement coordinator, said. “There's no deadline to register, but the sooner the better, so we can get our kids in and started on the first day of school.”
Southeast Texas parents said they are grateful for what the school district is doing because it makes getting registration done easier.
“I just walked here and got help from them,” Tamieka Strange, Beaumont ISD mother of six said. “Being (at home) with the kids and trying do it, they are running around, but it’s less stressful with (the district) coming over here and helping people.”
Strange said she is thankful that BISD came so close to home.
“Right now, I don't have a way to get around,” Strange said. “And, I can't go to school and register, and I thought it would be easy for them to come out and, you know, help us."
Without BISD’s unique but special events, Strange said registration for her would not be possible.
“If they weren't here today, like, I wouldn't be able to do what I can do with them here.” Strange said.
The district said it is important now more than ever to get kids registered for school because of COVID slide, which is the education loss attributed to the coronavirus pandemic.
Researchers believe kids only retain 50% to 70% of what they learn virtually, and school officials said BISD students are no exception.
“Our students have suffered from COVID slide. I mean it’s real,” Shannon Allen, BISD superintendent, said. “Across the board there was a significant slide. Some middle school areas more than others, especially in math.”
In 2019, a little more than 20% of sixth graders met expectation for math. This year, less then 7% met those expectations. Reading saw the same downward trend.
The district will hold another registration event Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 at the Market Basket located on 3955 Phelan Blvd, and the market basket located on 5960 TX-105 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The school district will hold more socially distanced registration events. The district asks that parents bring all necessary documentation.