(Seguin) — Navarro ISD begins its new school year today by enrolling a record number of students. Navarro ISD Superindent Mandy Epley says enrollment in the district continues to grow. The growth is no surprise to anyone who has observed the large number of new homes being built in Navarro ISD.
Epley says they are excited about all of their students – old and new – and are ready to start the new year.
“The growth continues. We’re projected to grow from about 2,400 students to 2,697 students this year, and we’ve already seen that in our initial enrollment numbers. We have about 300 new students in the district. So we’re working hard to make sure our staff is prepared and that everyone has a spot and a teacher. We know the growth is coming. We’ve been preparing for it and we’re excited to welcome more people into the Panther family,” Epley said.
The growth also means more cars on the streets near Navarro schools. Epley says they’ve staggered start times at some schools to improve traffic flow, and they’ve also shared maps and other resources with the community to help traffic flow more smoothly on this first day of school.
“We have some great photos of our traffic patterns and we even put out a video explaining the rules of the road for buses. The first couple of weeks, as people get their bearings, they may try to take their kids in their own vehicles, (and then) they change their minds and take the bus, etc. There’s a lot of congestion while people get their bearings. But every year, by the second week, we’re in a good rhythm. It’s important to slow down (and) take a deep breath. We know everyone is getting back into that routine, and we have a lot of leniency for that. So please, yes, be patient, bear with us, communicate with us and we will continue to communicate with you. Be safe on the road and know that we are ready for you. We are ready for your students in the classroom,” Epley said.
Epley says staff have been working hard to prepare for the start of the new school year today. She says they have some exciting plans for this year.
“We had a great assembly where former students shared the impact their teachers had on them when they attended Navarro ISD. We welcomed over 70 new staff members and everyone is just thrilled and excited to implement this shared vision that our community, students and teachers helped create last year. We are ready to put that vision into action. You have been meeting all week not only to learn and prepare for your students, but to prepare the learning environment. We are all looking forward to that first day and the incredible energy of the kids getting out of the cars and buses – ready to learn and ready to start the year,” Epley said.
Navarro ISD also offers information for parents on topics such as class schedules, transportation and food services on the district’s website, nisd.us.
