Daisy Jimenez had a simple desire on Saturday, Sept. 6 as she got off a school bus and was led to an office at North Forest High School.
“I just want to finish school,” the 18-year-old said in a hushed, almost inaudible tone.
She seemed shy and a bit thrown by the fanfare surrounding her—the hugs, well wishes and congratulations. But it couldn’t be helped. People were just plain happy to see Daisy and happy to help her take a critical step toward finishing high school—starting again.
North Forest High School counselors and registrar were on hand to help Daisy fill out paperwork and create a class schedule.
A student at the former M.B. Smiley High School, Daisy stopped attending during her junior year last year, she said, partly because she fell in with the “wrong crowd.” After some prodding from a friend capped off by an early morning knock on the door during the Reach Out Walk, Daisy has re-enrolled at North Forest High School. More importantly, she said she is committed to seeing her high school education through this time.
Daisy was one of two students to actually re-enroll on the same day as the North Forest ISD’s Reach Out to Dropouts Walk, part of the citywide effort to get no-show and dropout students back in school and on the road to graduation.
Other students encountered during the Walk said they would come to the school in coming days to re-enroll, according to district officials.
“We’re going to follow-up with these students,” said Interim Superintendent William Jones. “This was not a one-time effort. It’s an ongoing operation.”
North Forest High School Principal Charles Russell was elated to have Daisy and another student re-enroll immediately following the walk.
“Everyone counts,” Russell said. “Just one makes a difference.”
Scores of North Forest ISD employees and community volunteers, equipped with the names and addresses of no-show students, descended on neighborhoods in the school district on Sept. 6.
When there were no answers at the doors, reading material about the district and its programs was left behind. North Forest ISD has several programs designed to help students, especially those who have fallen behind, complete their high school education, including TAKS tutorials, Credit Recovery, GED classes and Third Semester, which offers evening classes.
When there was an answer, volunteers had the chance to talk to parents and students about these programs and about returning to school in North Forest ISD, even offering them a bus ride to the campus right then so they could start the process.
Interim Superintendent Jones said the day provided an important opportunity to let no-show students know that the District is concerned about their futures and to let the community know about the good things happening in North Forest ISD.
|
