WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — The Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack is growing at a rate administration officials say they have never seen before.
"This year has been a record-breaking year since August, we have had over 600 about 610 new registrations," said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rochelle Koury-Speier, Wilkes-Barre Area School District
To avoid overwhelming staff at the individual schools in the district with registration where new student registration used to take place, the district tells Newswatch 16 it has now centralized registration for all the schools in the district at a former funeral home located along Maffett Street, across from the high school.
"So far we have, we have completed over 100 registrations, but there are still like 500 left, and they keep registering and registering," said Asst. Supt. Koury-Speier.
And it's a lengthy process.
"Just to enroll one student, we have to verify that the parent has two current proofs of residency, that we have the correct birth certificate, photo IDs, the correct immunization for the students to start. So that takes a while just to review one registration and to actually close it and seal it for that child to begin school on time," explained Koury-Speier.
The district says the influx of registrations doesn't impact one specific grade or school but does present some challenges.
Challenges the district says, it's ready to handle.
"Our superintendent, Dr Costello, had the foresight to see that there was going to be an increase in registrations this year, so he did hire 42 additional teachers, and it is a mix between special education teachers, English learning language teachers and regular ed teachers," added Kour-Speier.
In an effort to provide more support, the Wilkes-Barre Area School District will host a family day at the high school on September 20th.
There parents can find information on health care, housing and other resources they might need.