For high school students who are new to the district, pre-enrollment will begin on Aug. 4 and run through Aug. 13 in the main office of the DHS campus, located at 1901 S. Mirick in Denison.
"This enrollment is only required for students who were not enrolled in a Denison ISD school last year," said DHS Counselor Carrie Boettger. "If you're simply moving up to high school from middle school, you do not need to pre-enroll."
The hours for pre-enrollment are scheduled from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and on Friday from 8:30 a.m. until noon. Boettger said that the dates and times apply for all students, both regular and special education. In addition, she says, appointments for pre-enrollment must be scheduled in advance by calling 903-462-7125. Required documents for new student enrollment include the student's current shot record, birth certificate, Social Security card and current report card showing proof of grade promotion if available.
Fish Camp, the annual orientation for incoming Denison High School freshmen, is set for Friday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the DHS Commons, located at the south end of the high school campus at 1901 South Mirick.
According to Fish Camp director Jamie Weems, veteran student leaders have put together a fun and informative event that will feature photo-ops for student IDs, escorted tours of the building, free T-shirts, fun skits and games, lots of great music, and pizza for lunch.
"Our Student Council members are the brains behind this bash, so you know it's going to be great fun," said Weems, who noted that the doors will open at 8:30 a.m. for students who may arrive early. "Our goal is to orient our freshmen in all areas of school life so they'll be comfortable and confident on their first day at DHS. Moving from middle school to high school is a big step... we want it to be a good experience, start to finish, for all students."
Weems said the incoming freshmen will view a video that introduces principals, administrators, counselors, athletic directors and other school officials.
"Next up is the fun," said Weems. "We'll have a lot of great music going on, as well as skits and interactive student discussions that address issues like peer pressure, attendance, personal relationships, and the pitfalls of substance abuse. Students will also tour the high school, have a chance to meet new students, and learn the rules governing personal dress and appearance."
"Later in the morning, we'll break into smaller groups for ID photo shoots and touring the campus," Weems said. "Fish Camp is free, and all incoming freshmen are urged to attend ... not just because it's a great learning opportunity, but because it's also fun. The goal is to eliminate a lot of stress for freshmen when they start school on August 23."