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Schools here cut red tape, enroll 49 kids from Coast

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizen.com

As residents on the Gulf Coast start slowly trying to piece their broken lives back together, many have chosen Fayette County as their temporary refuge.

Fayette County Public Information Officer Melinda Berry-Dreisbach said Tuesday morning the school system has already enrolled 49 students from the hurricane-ravaged area, and expects the number to continually increase.

“The principal at Fayette County High School said he expected seven more students later this week,” she said.

In order to help the residents and get the students quickly enrolled in school, the system is temporarily suspending the normal requirements for students entering the school system.

“All we’re requiring parents to do is sign an affidavit declaring what their new residence is,” she said.

For many evacuees, their new “home” is a motel, while others are staying with family and friends. Berry-Dreisbach said the new students are scattered throughout the county from Brooks Elementary to the south and North Fayette Elementary at the county’s northern borders. She doesn’t know how long the students will be here, but said the school system is doing everything possible to ease the transition.

“At the beginning of the school year, we had Office Depot donate backpacks, and we’re distributing some of those to our new students,” she said.

Many schools are already planning fund-raisers for the victims, and Berry-Dreisbach encouraged all families stranded by the hurricane to call the Department of Family and Children’s Services at 770-460-2555 for more relief information.