Districts give more info on reopenings
Each school district in the Texarkana area is making a full-fledged effort to return to class this fall in the safest and smartest ways possible, through lengthy guidelines and procedures.
To get a clearer picture of what their plans really look like, the Gazette sent a questionnaire to local districts. Due to a limited number of responses, some of the information is provided from their respectives websites.
Pleasant Grove Independent School District, Texarkana Independent School District along and Texarkana Arkansas School District’s answers were mostly gathered from information found on their district sites, while Liberty-Eylau’s communication director Matt Fry sent answers in.
PGISD communications director Shelby Akin and TASD public relations director Genia Bullock also provided input regarding their districts.
A graphic detailing more details will be coming soon, but below are the questions that required more of an explanation:
1. Will the district have virtual, in person or hybrid classes?
PGISD — On-Campus Learning, Remote Synchronous Learning, Remote Asynchronous Learning. Parents have until July 29 to decide on which process they’d prefer.
TASD — Virtual, Hybird, In-person (PRE-K — no virtual, hybrid). Parents were to decide by July 19, but the district will evaluate the situation in December and allow for a different selection to be made for the second semester beginning in January of 2021.
TISD — Virtual, In-person. Parents are required to decide between which plan they’d prefer by July 27, with a period until August 5 where they are able to change that decision.
L-EISD — “Traditional — Students attend school on campus all day and participate in face-to-face, in-person, direct instruction from a teacher in a classroom setting. Extensive COVID mitigation strategies will accompany this method.
Remote Asynchronous Instruction-Instruction that does not require having the instructor and student engaged at the same time. In this method, students learn from instruction that is not necessarily being delivered in-person or in real time. This type of instruction may include various forms of digital and online learning, such as prerecorded video lessons or computer program-based learning tasks that students complete on their own,
and pre-assigned work and tests made available to students on paper. Students will be required to be online and engaged daily to be counted in attendance and receive grades.” Parents have until two weeks before the school year starts to decide.
2. How long must student stay in delivery method chosen?
PGISD — Asking to commit for first grading period of school year.
TASD — They will evaluate the situation in December and allow for a different selection to be made for the second semester beginning in January of 2021. Due to safety guidelines, we recommend that students not transition from virtual learning to either a hybrid/ blended or traditional learning pathway. However, the District will consider a parent’s request to move to virtual learning at any time due to safety concerns.
TISD — Parents who choose remote can change to in-person in the upcoming 6-weeks period. Those who choose in-person can switch to virtual at any time.
L-EISD — “Students may change learning methods at the end of each grading period. (Approximately 6 weeks) Grade period start/end dates are listed on the LEISD academic calendar.”
3. What about feeding programs for virtual/off-campus kids?
PGISD — No response.
TASD — “The USDA will continue the waiver which allows districts to provide meals to students off-site. TASD will continue to seek guidance from our regional child nutrition specialist in determining the best way to distribute meals to our virtual learners.”
TISD — Elementary students currently slated to have hot box lunches that will be taken to the classroom or outside locations. Rules for Jr. high and high school students still being considered.
L-EISD — “Food service will only be available for students on campus. Staffing levels will not permit food delivery. The final food delivery date for LEISD will be July 31. On campus meals will begin August 12.”
4. How will virtual students have work submitted/picked up?
PGISD — Pre-K through 2nd grade will use SeeSaw. Grades 3-12 will use Google Classroom.
TASD — Google Classroom. TISD — Overall progress on learning outcomes will be communicated in a “traditional” format. Assignments and grades will be entered into TEAMS.
L-EISD — “Students will receive and return work through Google Classroom and other online learning systems.”
5. Are sports being played?
PGISD — Similar to summer strength and conditioning activities, practices and contests will follow protocols established by UIL and TEA. In-season and off-season activities will follow the most current guidelines available
TASD — The Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) is preparing to resume activities and athletics this fall in accordance with the regular AAA calendar. These preparations are contingent upon compliance with all directives as issued by the Governor’s office and the Department of Health.
TISD — Yes.
L-EISD — “Yes. We plan to begin sports as scheduled.”
6. If one of the students/teachers at school gets sick or tests positive for COVID…how will the district handle that. Will the whole class have to isolate with contact tracing etc. Essentially what is the protocol?
PGISD — If an individual who has been in a school is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19, the school must notify its local health department, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations, including confidentiality requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
TASD — In the event an individual tests positive, TASD will follow the latest guidance from the ADH.
TASD will be in direct contact with ADH. This could result in a brief closure of a single school within the District to provide time for additional cleaning and sanitation
TISD — TISD will follow all provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) which is in effect through December 31, 2020.
L-EISD — “Those plans are being finalized by the LEISD COVID Response Team and will be released soon following the guidance of state and local health officials.”