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List | Central Texas schools release back-to-school plans with in-person, virtual learning options

With the school year starting next month, local districts are releasing their return plans for students amid the ongoing pandemic.

TEXAS, USA — Area school districts have begun preparing and releasing back-to-school plans as classes resume next month. 

With the number of coronavirus cases throughout the state still rising, districts are adjusting and offering parents the option to choose between traditional in-person learning and virtual learning, for parents who do not feel comfortable sending their kids back to school just yet. 

In addition to the two learning options, details on increased health and safety measures being taken to mitigate the spread of the virus are also being released. Although most plans include enhanced and more frequent cleaning and disinfecting, one district's plan could be slightly different from another. 

Following Gov. Abbott's executive order requiring masks and TEA guidelines, masks will be required for students and staff, with some exceptions. 

Here are the plans Central Texas school districts have released:

Bell County Update

The Bell County Public Health District announced the start of in-person classes in public and non-religious private schools was delayed until after Sept 7 Thursday. School districts will still be able to conduct online learning, according to the order from Local Health Authority, Dr. Brenda Smith.

Extracurricular sports and activities will also be delayed under the order until school systems reopen for on-campus instruction with the following exceptions: 

  • 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A high schools may conduct extracurricular activities, including band practices and volleyball, football, and cross country practices, scrimmages, games, and meets according to the latest UIL guidelines and restrictions regarding gatherings mandated by Governor Abbott. 
  • Students already participating in University Interscholastic League strength conditioning programs can continue to participate as long as the schools follow UIL guidelines.

The order said while religious schools were exempt under Abbott's orders they were strongly encouraged to comply with the regulations.

Each school system was asked to submit a comprehensive plan for opening to the health district by Aug. 21.

Smith said she anticipated schools would be able to return by Sept. 8 but she wanted to see a two week downward trend in the positivity rate and cases. Smith said a positivity rate of 5% or lower would make her feel better about lifting the order. The rate as of Thursday was 8.87%

Temple Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Bobby Ott said instead of starting virtual learning on Aug. 19, as was originally planned, TISD would delay all classes, in-person and virtual, until Sept. 8. Ott said the last day of school will be June 9, 2021.

Killeen ISD said it would continue to analyze the possibility of starting the school year on Aug. 17 in a totally virtual manner. The district said this possibility will be discussed at an upcoming board meeting July 28. The district said it has been planning a "two-pronged approach" that would give the district flexibility to transition throughout the school year to a virtual platform. 

In response to the order, Belton ISD said it will have to reconsider its back-to-school plans, which were expected to be released Friday.

Cox said Belton ISD hopes to be able to release details an updated plans early next week. 

According to Salado Middle School Principal Ted Smith, pending board approval, Salado ISD will not be starting school until the Sept. 8 for both in-person and online classes. Smith sees the order as an opportunity for preparation.

Rogers ISD

07/29/2018 Update

Rogers ISD held a Zoom meeting Tuesday night and decided they will stay with the September 8 start date for classes. Rogers ISD Superintendent Joe Craig said the district is still waiting to receive technology for online learning but will be sending out an online form for parents to decide if their child will learn in-person or virtually. That form will be sent out August 21 but it's unclear as to when that form is due back.

Craig outlines four reasons why he recommended to the Rogers ISD school board they stay with the September 8 calendar:

  • I feel our staff needs as much time as possible to prepare lessons and activities for the first 4-6 weeks of the school year. This calendar gives us the most planning time. 
  • We have not yet received the 330 Chromebooks we ordered in May and it looks like Aug. 17th will be the earliest they would come in. We need time after receiving them to get them prepared for student use. 
  • I think our staff, students, and families are tired of the changes to the calendar!
  • While our local health department may not now have the Legal Authority to make this call, I respect the way OUR local health officials worked WITH our local Superintendents to make the decision they felt was in the best interest of the health of our Bell County residents.

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Starting July 29, the district will send parents an email asking them to choose between in-person or remote learning. They will need this information for planning purposes and for preparation for Chromebook checkouts. Students who choose in-person learning will be required to wear a mask, unless a documented medical condition exists. The same rule applies to staff and teachers. Rogers ISD says they will not be able to social distance in the classroom. Students who choose to ride the bus will be required to wear a mask and will have to sanitize before and after riding the bus. Classes are expected to begin on August 17. 

Killeen ISD

Editor's Note: A previous video associated with this story made the statement "sports would not return at the start of the school year." That has yet to be officially determined. Dr. Craft said the district was "in a holding pattern." Craft also said the district would follow the governor's mask order which does not include children 10-years-old and younger. 

07/29/2020 Update

The Killeen Independent School District will begin the 2020-2021 school year virtually for all students on Monday, August 17, according to a press release from the district. Killeen ISD said the intent is to provide on-site instruction beginning Tuesday, September 8 for parents who elect that option.

Students will engage in live-online and recorded lessons from their teachers during normal class times aligned to a normal school schedule. Training on various platforms will be available to students and parents. Attendance, assignments, assessments and grades will be required.

In support of the move to full virtual instruction, the following plans are in place:

  • All students will have access to instruction designed and delivered by KISD’s trained, highly qualified teachers.
  • Teachers and other staff will return as scheduled August 4 and dive into 9 days of professional development addressing multiple platforms and technology integration.
  • KISD will open a technology hotline for students and parents who need assistance with technology and the KISD learning platforms beginning on Monday, August 10.   
  • KISD is planning to host a series of roundtable discussions to answer questions from parents and employees.
  • Plans are in place to issue devices and internet connectivity as requested and to provide instructional and technical support through videos, tutorials and hotlines for students, parents and staff. 
  • Hotspots will only allow a student to access the learning platform websites outlined by the district. 
  • Grab & Go breakfast and lunch will be provided for students who qualify for free and reduced meals and those who opt to purchase meals.

Parents will be able to register students in-person at every campus on July 29-30 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. to accept documents, answer questions and assist with enrollment.

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Starting July 17, the district will send parents an email asking them to choose between the two learning modes. Parents are asked to finalize choice by July 27 to complete the student's schedule and teacher assignments as classes begin Aug. 17.

Although families are asked to choose between the two learning options, the district said students have the option to transition between the two options. To make that change after the initial selection, parents are asked to contact campus administration to discuss the individual situation and registration process to switch. 

The district said that course expectations and grading procedures will be the same for both in-person and virtual learners. Virtual learners will have more engagement with teachers than this past spring, when schools first shut down as a precaution against the coronavirus. The option will include a mix of live learning sessions with teachers and recorded sessions that will function on a normal school schedule, according to the district. 

Virtual learners in need may also receive technology, connectivity and hotline support. They will also have the option to pick up school lunches. 

District leaders also said they are taking steps to mitigate the potential spread of the virus for in-person learners with additional cleanings, limiting gatherings, encouraging social distancing and more.

At a press conference on the plan, the school district said it's still unclear how sports will be handled or if they will even be allowed. They also said the district would work with students on a case-by-case basis if diagnosed with the virus. 

“We don’t know at this point whether we will be playing and or participating in sports to include football, marching band, extracurricular activities, come August 17th. We are anxiously awaiting other guidance to see how this situation continues to evolve. I know that’s a really important part of the overall education experience to our students but at this time we just can’t commit,” Superintendent Dr. John Craft said. 

For more on the Killeen ISD back to school plan, visit their website and FAQ pages.

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Temple ISD

The applications for Temple ISD families to choose between in-person and virtual learning will be open from Aug. 5 at 8 a.m. to Aug. 7 at 5 p.m. The application will be available through Skyward. 

The initial commitment to either learning option will be for the duration of a full grading period, after which families can decide to switch. If no option is chosen by the deadline, the default will be to begin with in-person learning. 

According to Temple ISD, there may be instances where a student needs to quickly change to remote learning due to COVID-19 related illness. If so, these needs will be accommodated to keep the health and safety of students and staff.

Virtual learning students will be expected to complete daily assignments, with a mix of live teaching and recorded videos. Students may be require to test onsite at an assessment center. 

For a detailed outline of Temple ISD's back-to-school plan, visit the district's website and plan summary. 

Belton ISD  

07/29/2020 Update:

The Belton Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday to delay the start of the 2020-2021 school year until September 8, according to the district.

The board meeting was called after an announcement by the Bell County Public Health District that ordered schools to not open for face-to-face instruction until after September 7. Attorney General Ken Paxton then contradicted the previously stated guidance from the Texas Education Agency Tuesday.

“The majority of us rely on doctors’ advice and opinions on health safety matters on a regular basis,” Belton ISD Superintendent Matt Smith said in a press release. “The order from Bell County Public Health District resonates with me and while their authority may be questioned, I don’t want to underestimate the value of the opinion of medical professionals in our county that live here as well.”

Flexibility and agility will continue to be necessary components for a successful 2020-2021 school year, according to Smith.
“We’ve been rolling with the punches and we’ll continue to do so,” Smith said. “We’ll take advantage of every additional second this gives our teachers and staff the opportunity to be prepared to kick off the new school year, and hopefully it will also allow time for the rise in local cases of COVID-19 to slow.”

The major changes to the academic calendar include:

  • The first day of school for students is now Sept. 8 instead of Aug. 19.
  • The first semester will extend into 2021, concluding on January 22.
  • The last day of school for students will be June 9 instead of May 26.
  • Graduation is moved from May 27 to June 10
  • Thanksgiving/fall break, winter break, spring break and other student holidays would remain as previously scheduled.

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“Our goal was to create an agile and flexible plan with exceptional student learning experiences being the constant for the 2020-2021 school year,” said Superintendent Matt Smith. “The pillars of our planning process are collaboration and feedback. We believe that bringing together the great minds to sketch out ideas, then running them through our stakeholders, will ultimately lead to the best plans.”

The district's approach to teaching and learning for the new school year will be improved from the model implemented in spring 2020. Exceptional learning plans under development include:

  • Incorporating a blend of asynchronous and synchronous modalities or tools at all grade levels
  • Daily schedules for student engagement opportunities
  • Providing feedback and communication from teachers
  • Standardized grading expectations across learning environments

The Board acted in June to ensure the district will have enough Chromebooks available for all students in grades 2-12. Kindergarteners and first grade students will have access to iPads. The district will also implement various learning management platforms to help make the transition between at-school and at-home learning more seamless.

Deanna Lovesmith, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, said 736 teachers have attended training so far this summer to learn how to utilize technology platforms to deliver instruction. 

“We have exceptional teachers who are doing amazing things,” Lovesmith said. “They have been doing amazing things before COVID and are going to continue to do that. They are committed to making learning exceptional for our students moving forward.”

District leaders also acknowledged that parents will need to be shown how to use the technology and discussed plans to create training videos.

To address safety for students and staff on campuses and within Belton ISD facilities, leaders discussed the wide range of prevention and mitigation efforts planned for next year. Those include:

  • Additional cleaning and sanitization efforts across all facilities and buses
  • Increasing supplies of hand sanitizer and portable dispensers available
  • Replacing water fountains with water fill stations
  • Establishing procedures for handling ‘close contact’ and contract tracing
  • Requiring face coverings for students and staff who are able to wear them 
  • Training on and expectations for self-screening practices
  • Protocols for providing transportation and school meals 

Parents and staff should watch for surveys that will be emailed Thursday as the district seeks to collect feedback from those stakeholders as the planning process continues. A new response plan website launched by the district at https://www.bisd.net/responseplan will house the latest details about plans for the 2020-2021 school year.

School is set to start on Aug. 19.

"With the fluidity of the COVID-19 situation and changing guidance from state and local entities, our plans can’t just be for what we know today. There are a lot of different variables, and our job is to plan for all of them," Belton ISD Communications and Community Engagement Director Elizabeth Cox said in a release. "So we’re not just planning for the first day of school on August 19. We’re planning for multiple scenarios the district is likely to face in the coming 12 months.

Watch the board's workshop on the district's YouTube.

Midway ISD

July 31 Update:

The Midway Board of Trustees voted Friday to move the first day of school to Aug. 24 for in-person and virtual learning. The late start moves the last day of school to May 27, 2021.

"This will allow our faculty and staff four more days of planning and training before students arrive," Superintendent Dr. George Kazanas said. "This extra time will be immensely valuable as we prepare for what is sure to be a very unusual school year."

Students 4th grade and above will be required to wear cloth faces masks, except when eating or exercising, the district said. Students under the age of 10 were encouraged to wear a cloth face mask.

Midway ISD is asking parents to choose between in-person and virtual learning in an application separate from school registration, which is now open. Parents will be able to choose the learning delivery option between July 27 and Aug. 3. The first day of school is Aug. 18.

The learning option parents initially decide on is binding for a full grading period of six weeks. If no option is selected, the default will be to begin school on-campus. The district said that accommodations would be made as needed if students contract COVID-19 and need to switch to virtual learning. If a virus-related illness requires students to switch to virtual learning, they will only be required to do so for the length of time in self-isolation or quarantine. 

In a letter to parents, the district said its Safe Start Task Force plan will be presented to the school board July 21 and will be published online the next morning, pending changes from the board meeting. 

The letter also said face coverings will be required by staff and students in grades 4-12 and are optional for those below the fourth grade. Extra precautions will also be in place, such as physical distancing, more assigned seating and work spaces, frequent hand washing and sanitizing stations and more. 

Virtual learners will be assigned a teacher and are expected to complete daily assignments. Online instruction will be delivered both live and/or in a recorded manner with attendance taken daily. 

For a more detailed look at the plan check out the district's back-to-school website and its virtual school website. 

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Copperas Cove ISD

Parents will be asked to complete a survey indicating their intent to enroll students in virtual or in-person learning in an email sent out July 15 and are asked to complete it by July 22.

Parents will then have the chance to make a final commitment to one of the two learning styles through a registration link sent out Aug. 3. Those responses will be due by 4 p.m. Aug. 6. School starts Aug. 18.

The commitment to one of the learning styles will last a grading period of six weeks. 

Those choosing the virtual learning option will be required to participate in three to four hours of video-based teacher-led instruction and learning in addition to individual learning activities. Course expectations and grading will remain the same for virtual learners as in-person learners. 

The district will issue a computer as needed and portable WiFi hot spots will be available for check-out for students who do not have internet access at home. 

Meanwhile, in-person learning will remain the same, with additional health and safety measures in place. Students may have class transitions limited as teachers will move from classroom to classroom. 

Other considerations include closing playgrounds will be closed to the general public, no field trips, limited interaction between student groups and more. 

For a more detailed look at Copperas Cove's back-to-school plans, visit the district's website and return to school guide. 

This guide will be updated as school districts release and finalize their back-to-school plans.

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