by JENNIFER RADCLIFFE
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle September 9, 2005
"Is that our bus yet?" the squirming second-grader asked his mother. "I want to go to school now ."
The boy was among 161 children from the Reliant complex to attend Douglass Elementary on Thursday, a southeast Houston school that was reopened specifically for evacuated students. Districtwide, more than 624 from Houston's large shelters enrolled in school by midday Thursday.
More than half of the 18,905 displaced children attending school in Texas are enrolled in Houston-area schools, both public and private, in the neighborhoods of their hotels, houses and shelters.
"That's a huge step forward — just getting them back in school," said Kathy Christie, a vice president with the Education Commission of the States. "Texas deserves a great big pat on the back."
While Hurricane Katrina's youngest survivors need extra care, integrating them into schools with typical Houston students will be key in helping them resume their childhood, Christie said.
"Talking about (Katrina) is good, but talking about Harry Potter is good, too. You need a little bit of both," she said.
Hundreds of these students will stay in Houston schools for months or even years. Officials announced Thursday that St. Bernard Parish will not reopen this year. Orleans Parish leaders are determining when or if they can open. Jefferson Parish may not open until Jan. 19.
HISD Superintendent Abe- lardo Saavedra said his district is prepared to educate as many as 14,000 displaced students. So far, enrollment of Katrina evacuees is about 2,300.
"It's going smoother than I expected," he said. "I'm very encouraged. I'm very proud of our staff."
Children a priority
Winston Harrison, who opted to see his fourth-grade son off to school Thursday morning rather than wait in a long line for disaster assistance, said more Louisiana residents should be focused on sending their children to school.
"The children are more important. The lines are going to drop. I can take care of that later," Harrison said.
Richard Washington was apprehensive about putting his kindergarten daughter on a school bus in a strange city.
"That's my love. That's my shadow. I ain't happy about it, but I don't have a choice," Washington said, just before 5-year-old Elegria boarded the bus with a fuzzy teddy bear.
Jackie Lawson, one of the thousands standing in line for FEMA help, said school would have to wait at least one more day for Alaji, her 10-year-old great nephew. Even though he was registered for class, his family was too busy trying to get much-need housing assistance.
"I think a lot of people have that problem. It's all up in the air," said Lawson, adding that the boy would probably attend school today.
Children sent to Douglass laughed and giggled as they entered school. They were impressed by the yellow lockers and lime green cafeteria walls.
"The children were beautiful. They were all thrilled to death. They wanted to come to school," principal Sue Ann Payne said.
Teacher Zella Markey, a principal of a private school in New Orleans who was hired by HISD, said some of the children were a little anxious at first — a feeling she can relate to.
"They've been venting a little bit about what happened at the Superdome," said Markey, whose kindergarten class was all smiles as they sang The Wheels on the Bus .
As the students attended their first day of class, several hundred other teachers, aides, nurses, bus drivers and other school personnel put in job applications at Houston school district's job fair Thursday afternoon. Some applicants were Louisiana evacuees, while others were retired educators.
Staff writer Cynthia Garza contributed to this report.
jennifer.radcliffe@chron.com
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ENROLLMENTS
These are the number of evacuated students that area districts say they've enrolled:
• Houston: 2,305
• North Forest: 110
• Humble: 476
• Fort Bend: 1,268
• Spring: 494
• Pasadena: 409
• Katy: 1,089
• Brazosport: 73
• Pearland: 219
• Spring Branch: 231
• Cypress-Fairbanks: 1,148
• Alief: 811
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3346005
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