Local schools open doors for displaced

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The first day of school in Northern Virginia yesterday symbolized the start of a new life for some children whose homes were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, as area officials opened their doors to many displaced students from the Gulf Coast.

On the day after Labor Day, most public schools opened in Alexandria, and in Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William counties.

So far, 11 children from devastated parts of the Gulf Coast have registered to attend school in Arlington County.

"There's concern for the families in the Gulf Coast and we want to provide some stability in the lives of those students," said Robert Smith, Arlington County schools superintendent. "I suspect in most of these cases we're dealing with family members taking in these children."

Public schools in Maryland and Virginia are enrolling Katrina victims under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, which provides for the enrollment of homeless students without immediately obtaining birth records or requiring the children to receive necessary immunizations.

About 25 displaced students have enrolled to attend school in Prince George's County. Officials have been told to waive tuition and provide school supplies to students in need during the expedited enrollment process.

Montgomery County has enrolled eight displaced students, and Alexandria has enrolled three. School officials in Anne Arundel and Fairfax counties said they did not have a count of how many displaced students had been enrolled in their respective school systems.

D.C. officials also did not know how many hurricane victims were enrolled, but said staff members were registering students arriving from the Gulf Coast at Shaw Junior High School in Northwest and at the D.C. Armory.

Patricia Williams, a D.C. school official, said students in need will receive free immunizations, school meals and school supplies.

"The most important thing is the superintendent wants these families and these children to know they are absolutely welcome in the District of Columbia public schools," she said. "We are going to do everything we can to make sure their transition is as smooth as possible because they've already been through enough."