(Marion) — The Marion ISD today officially kicks off its new school year. The 2024-25 school year will bring with it a number of changes for the new year, including more construction work and rising enrollments at each campus.
Marion ISD Superindent Don Beck says they want everyone to practice a little bit of patience on these first few days of school.
“This will be a little bit more unique than other (years). They always have to pack their patience on the first couple days of school, with all the newness and everybody new moving in and all that good stuff. This year, we have a lot of construction going on, and the things will be a little bit different, with traffic being re-routed, especially at the secondary campuses. But really and truly (we want people) just to be aware of all the signs that are up, and follow the directions from the police officers and the traffic signs and administrators,” said Beck.
He says if people are prepared for some of these changes it will help them get students to and from school.
“We should have a smooth transition. It’s going to take a couple days to get reacquainted to a new set of traffic patterns, that’s for sure,” said Beck.
The growing pains aren’t just being caused by the ongoing construction in and around Marion schools. Dr. Beck says they are also experiencing rapid growth across the district, with their enrollment growing significantly this year.
“From last August to this August, we’ve increased about 180 students. And so, for us, that’s quite a gain. It’s about a 12, 13, or 14 percent gain from one year to the next. So, we are definitely experiencing some of that. We’ve been able to fill all the spots we need to with staff, and luckily, we have the building space to accommodate all that. It’s just trying to get adjusted to the new traffic patterns will probably be the biggest issues. There will be more cars here than normal, and that’s what we’re going to be working on,” said Beck.
Beck says the back-to-school transition isn’t just something for the teachers and students to worry about. He says there will be increased traffic before and after school each day, and motorists also need to remember that those school zones will once again be active. He says it’s important to slow down when you get to those areas.
“Especially right around the schools, they drop the speed limit down considerably. Parents just need to be mindful of that. I’m sure the cops will be out checking those (speeds) to keep kids safe as they walk across the street because we still have quite a few walkers. Hopefully people will be mindful of that and take their time getting in and out of school, and plan plenty of time for the first day,” said Beck.
A new school year always brings with it a number of challenges, but Beck says his staff is excited about welcoming kids back to their classrooms.
“The excitement is definitely there. I see it in the staff. We had our convocation last Wednesday and it was great to see the smiles on their faces, and just the preparation. Our mission this year is Mission Possible, and they’re ready to take on the mission of making anything possible for these kids,” said Beck.
Information about bell schedules, the school calendar and more can be found on the Marion ISD’s website, marionisd.net.