9-6-05 - The Texas Education Agency (TEA) opened a hotline to take calls from teachers who would like to help students and schools impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

The toll-free number is 1-866-435-7090, and staff members from the TEA will be answering staffing-related calls from 8am until 6pm daily. Employees are also staffing another hotline (1-800-957-5109) taking general Hurricane Katrina-related calls.

In addition, a special TEA website has been created to disseminate hurricane-related information. There is a link off the main agency website.

Anyone interested in providing expertise to a local school district should send their name, address, phone number, email address, area of certification or professional expertise, and the location willing to work to texasteachers@tea.state.tx.us.

Davis Oklahoma Schools are also prepared to take in additional students, but officials still aren't sure how many kids may make the trip from Texas to Falls Creek.

The district started brainstorming as soon as word came this weekend that the halls of Davis schools could be filled with hundreds more children.

Right now they still aren't sure if the evacuee children will go to school during the day or in the afternoon because they just don't have the room to hold every student.

The school district has 9,000 students right now and that number could double when the evacuees arrive. Another idea is to setup a school at Falls Creek and hire teachers to go over there.

Superintendent Monte Thompson says no matter what happens, he wants these kids to feel safe and loved while spending as much time with their family as possible.

Oklahoma school superintendent Sandy Garrett said yesterday she wants all children evacuated from New Orleans in public schools as early as this week, but she is making an exception for the Davis area.

The district is looking for teachers who would like to volunteer. If you are interested, please contact Davis Public Schools at 580-369-2386.