TYLER COUNTY – The start of a new school year brings with it a renewed sense of excitement in communities like those within Tyler County, for everyone involved – students, parents and school district personnel.
The county’s five school districts are all set to open their doors back up for students to begin learning, once again, in two weeks. All of the schools are scheduled to begin with their first instructional days of the new term on Wednesday, August 12, except for Colmesneil ISD, which begins on Monday, August 10.
One countywide initiative that will begin with that very first Tyler County schoolday is a traffic enforcement measure that Sheriff Bryan Weatherford has dubbed “Operation Safe Delivery.”
Weatherford said that the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office will begin targeting motorists who illegally pass stopped school buses while students are loading or unloading. Under state law, drivers who are approaching a stopped school bus from either direction must stop while the bus has red lights flashing and a stop signal activated. Only after the visual warning signs are inactive and the bus is back in motion can drivers proceed.
Weatherford said that there “is no excuse for passing a stopped school bus.”
“Every time those red lights are flashing, a child’s life may depend on every driver doing the right thing,” he said, and added that TCSO has “zero tolerance for drivers who endanger our children.”
A variety of events are scheduled for parents and the community, at large, to get out and meet with school administrators, faculty and staff.
Chester ISD is hosting its meet the teacher event on Monday, August 10. Parents and students are instructed to choose a time session to begin the “meet the teacher” session for onboarding for the new year, for grades sixth through 12. Those time slots are 10:30 a.m.; 12:30 p.m.; 2:30 p.m.; 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 30, there will be a senior class meeting for Chester students at the high school library. Students can attend the 2 p.m. meeting or at 5:30 p.m., and the meeting, which is required of all senior students, will cover a variety of important topics for the senior year students, such as scholarships and college financial aid and requirements for graduation.
Colmesneil ISD has its “Meet the Teacher” event scheduled for Thursday, August 6, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by the “Meet the Bulldogs” event that runs from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Colmesneil ISD will also have computers and staff members on hand during the event to assist anyone with registration, which can be done through the district’s website, www.colmesneilisd.net.
A tradition that has emerged in recent years with the Colmesneil senior class is a senior sunrise breakfast, which will take place at 6:30 a.m., Monday, August 10 before school begins for the day and the new year. It is hosted at the Bulldog Country Café and is a $10 per person all-you-can-eat breakfast. Following the breakfast, the seniors will parade from the restaurant to school to begin the new year.
Over in Pirate Country, Spurger ISD is hosting its “Meet the Teacher” event on Friday, August 7 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.
Spurger is also hosting its “Running Start” for the junior high and high school students, and that will take place in the Minter Gym on Firday, August 7, with 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. shifts scheduled. The time students come to go through the Running Start depends on their last name, and everyone should be registered before taking part, which they can do on the district’s website.
Warren ISD campuses will have “Meet the Teacher” on Monday, August 10 on all of its campuses.
For Fred Elementary students, it will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Warren Elementary students will have the opportunity to meet their teachers as follows: Pre-Kindergarten through second grade – 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and third through fifth grades: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Warren Junior High Meet the Teacher will be from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Warren High School will have theirs from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. There will also be a Meet the Warriors event at 7 p.m. at George “Bo” Isaacks Stadium.
Warren Junior High Student Council and the NJHS are hosting a school supply drive this Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Family Dollar store in Warren.
All of the supplies collected will go directly to WJH students.
For Woodville ISD, “Meet the Teacher” will take place on Monday, August 10 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Woodville Elementary and from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for both the middle school and high school campuses.
All of the necessary online registration procedures, including vaccinations or affidavits, must be completed before WISD students can receive their teacher and class schedules.
Woodville is also hosting the “Meet the Eagles” event on August 10 beginning at 6:45 p.m. at the Eagle Summit.
Community members are invited to come out and meet the Eagle athletes who will be participating in the fall sports.
Another important note for parents who still have school supplies and school clothes to buy is the annual statewide tax-free weekend takes place August 7-9. Shoppers can save money on clothes and school supplies during the period.
State law exempts sales tax on qualified items, such as clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks, priced below $100, which, according to the State Comptroller’s office, saves shoppers an average of $8 on every $100 spent.
