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Health and Safety
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If students are participating in remote learning, will they receive free and reduced meals?
Curbside meals will be offered to remote learners. Student ID numbers will be required to pick up meals.
Student meal accounts will be charged according to their eligibility (free, reduced, or paid). Pick up sites and schedules will be posted online before school begins.
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What will the daily cleaning and disinfecting protocols be?
Campuses will be cleaned throughout the instructional day by custodial and campus staff with a focus on high-touch surfaces and cleaning after student transitions (i.e. student desks, keyboards, graphing calculators). All staff will be trained in alignment with CDC guidelines and adhere to all safety measures. Only EPA disinfectant approved to protect against COVID-19 will be used during the disinfecting process. At the end of each day all campus areas will be cleaned and disinfected and prepared for the next day.
In addition to daily cleaning and disinfecting, Pearland ISD will continue to educate our students, staff, and community members about the importance of frequent hand-washing; covering a cough or sneeze; not touching one’s eyes, nose, and mouth; staying home when sick, and other measures to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Signage for all facilities will including, but not limited to, signs for the use of face coverings per official orders, social distancing, hand-washing/sanitizing, directional signage for all staff, students, and visitors when they are permitted to be on campuses.
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Is Pearland ISD requiring daily screenings of students and staff?
Staff will be required to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms prior to reporting to work each day. Parents/guardians are expected to screen their students for COVID-19 symptoms each day prior to sending their student to school. Teachers will monitor students, and refer students to the nurse if symptoms are present.
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Will students and staff be required to wear face masks at all times?
Yes. Students in grades PK-12 will wear face coverings on buses, hallways, common areas, and when social distancing is not feasible, including in classrooms, to the extent it is developmentally appropriate and health conditions allow. Any visitor coming to campus during the instructional day will be required to wear a face covering for building access.
Face coverings include non-medical grade disposable face masks, cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth), or full-face shields to protect eyes, nose and mouth. If an individual returns under the new shortened quarantine guidelines, they will be required to wear a face mask for up to 14 days after exposure.
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Will elementary students still have recess?
Elementary students will have designated times for recess and other physical activities. Outdoor play and learning will be encouraged.
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What will breakfast and lunch look like?
All Food Services staff will use PPE while performing job responsibilities and will be trained to practice health and hygiene regulations. Hand sanitation stations will be accessible in cafeteria.
To ensure the safety of students and staff, no outside food deliveries will be accepted. Visitors will not be allowed during breakfast/lunch times.
Parents are encouraged to make online payments to student meal accounts in order to reduce exchange of cash at the point of service.
Breakfast
- Students will be seated to allow social distancing (when applicable).
- Cafeteria and serving areas will be cleaned as students transition.
Lunch
- Students will utilize the cafeteria for lunch while striving to maximize social distancing.
- Students may be assigned to eat in various locations throughout the building to maximize social distancing.
- Cafeteria, serving and eating areas will be cleaned between uses.
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How many students will be in my child’s class?
Class sizes may possibly be smaller than typical years due to many students participating in remote instruction. An approximate number or range of students in each class is difficult to predict until Pearland ISD receives commitment forms from families. Once this preliminary data is available, the District can begin planning master schedules and determining class sizes. Pearland ISD will be using American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and Brazoria County Health Department recommendations in classrooms for spacing, prevention, and mitigation measures.
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Will Pearland ISD use partitions or something else to provide a barrier between students in the classroom?
Our facilities team and campus leadership are looking at every learning and common space to determine the best way to create social distancing among students, including rearranging desks and tables. Classrooms will have different configurations based on student capacity and square footage. Partitions may be used in areas where it is difficult to create appropriate social distancing.
Pearland ISD will do our best to adhere to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Texas Education Agency (TEA), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines, but we cannot guarantee that all students will be 6 feet apart at all times of the day, including in the classroom. We expect our students to play an active role in adhering to established guidelines for the safety of students and staff within our schools.
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Will school bus capacity be limited for those using district transportation?
As a response to COVID, Pearland ISD encourages all families with the ability to do so, to transport children to and from school. Bus transportation will be offered; however, the standard number of transported students compromises the ability to socially distance. For this reason, students utilizing bus transportation will be required to utilize face coverings. Students will use hand sanitizer upon boarding the bus. Bus drivers will also wear facial coverings. Windows will be lowered to allow for appropriate ventilation (weather permitting). High touch points will be disinfected between grade level routes daily.
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What are the health criteria (individual students and/or city/county statistics) that would lead to a school closure?
The Superintendent of Schools and his Administrative Cabinet will work in conjunction to monitor information and data from Brazoria County Health Department, data from internal district operations, and state and local officials in order to determine actions at school facilities in response to community spread of COVID-19. Decisions are made with the best information at the time and are subject to change with limited notice. The district will consider closing a campus when positive COVID-19 cases exceed 10% of facility occupancy and consider district closure when positive COVID-19 cases exceed 10% of occupancy in more than 10 facilities.
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What happens if there is a COVID spike and schools need to shut down?
If an individual campus or the entire district needs to close due to a significant number of positive COVID cases, students participating in on campus instruction would be changed to remote instruction during the school closure. The length of the school closure will be based on health guidelines provided by state and local agencies. During these times impacted students would not receive in person instruction, but would receive remote instruction supported by their campus teachers.
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What would happen if my child’s entire class needs to go into quarantine?
If there are three or more positive COVID-19 cases in one specific area, such as a classroom, students and staff of that area will be advised to self-quarantine for 14 days. During that period of self-quarantine these students would participate in remote instruction.
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What would happen if my child who is doing on campus instruction needs to go on an individualized quarantine?
Individual students will participate in remote instruction during the self-quarantine. The length of the individual quarantine will be based on health guidelines provided by state and local agencies.
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What are the COVID-19 symptoms parents should be screening for prior to sending your student to campus each day?
Parents/guardians are expected to screen their students for COVID-19 symptoms each day prior to sending their student to school. The Novel Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. Patients with COVID-19 have had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:
- Fever (100 degrees or above) or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
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Will Pearland ISD parents be required to notify the school if their child tests positive for COVID-19?
Yes, students and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 should call or email the School Nurse or Health Care Assistant as soon as possible. District communication will be provided to the parents of students who came in contact with the COVID-19 positive student or staff member.
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Who should an employee contact if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19?
The employee is to contact their supervisor and Human Resource Services (HRS) for direction on how to proceed.
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What will the procedure be if someone in my student’s class or school is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19?
When a student has displayed symptoms of COVID-19, the School Nurse/Health Care Assistant will provide a clinical assessment to determine if and when a student needs to be sent home.
Students who are ill will be isolated from others, and should be picked up immediately. Students can only be released to an individual who is listed in Skyward as a family member or emergency contact, so please make sure this information is current in Skyward.
District communication will be provided to the parents of students who came in close contact with a COVID-19 positive student or staff member.
Staff members displaying COVID-19 symptoms will follow district protocols including isolation from students and other staff members.
In the case of an individual who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to school when ALL THREE of the following criteria are met:
- At least three (3) days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications);
- The individual has improvement in symptoms; and
- At least ten (10) days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
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If a child or teacher in my child’s school tests positive for COVID-19, will my child be expected to self-quarantine?
Students who are in close contact with a lab-confirmed COVID-19 positive must isolate at home according to current local health guidelines and self-monitor for 14 days for COVID-19 symptoms after last known exposure. Individual is advised to contact their healthcare provider. If this event occurs the campus will communicate with the family and review the return to school procedures.
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What is considered “close contact”?
Pearland ISD Plan to Proceed 2020 refers to “close contact” with an individual who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19. Close contact is determined by an appropriate public health agency.
For clarity, close contact is defined as:
- being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed on while not wearing a mask or face shield); or
- being within 6 feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes, while not wearing a mask or face shield;
if either occurred at any time in the last 14 days at the same time the infected individual was infectious. Individuals are presumed infectious at least two days prior to symptom onset or, in the case of asymptomatic individuals who are lab-confirmed with COVID-19, two days prior to the confirming lab test.
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Will students undergo a temperature check upon arrival to school or in the classroom?
No. Temperature checks of asymptomatic students at school are not recommended. All campuses are being provided with updates on a regular basis and receive guidance on screening and evaluation protocols.
All staff and students participating in Pearland ISD On-campus will commit to conducting a daily COVID-19 screening at home, which will include temperature checks, prior to entering a Pearland ISD campus/facility. Reminders will be posted at building entrances. Teachers will not check individual student temperatures in the classroom.
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High Quality Instruction
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Will there be any changes to the attendance policy this year?
No, the Texas Education Agency states that all attendance rules and guidelines are still in place. All students will be required to attend class daily either in person or through remote learning. Please refer to the Plan to Proceed for more details.
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What does remote learning mean?
Remote Learning refers to Pearland ISD’s online instructional program.
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How do I enroll my child new to Pearland ISD in the remote learning program?
To participate in remote learning, the student must be enrolled in Pearland ISD. Please refer to the New Student Enrollment link.
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What happens if we complete the commitment form for remote learning but change our minds before school starts and want to do on-campus learning?
At this time, you can make changes in Skyward up until August 5th.
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If I sign my child up for remote learning, can I change him/her over to on-campus Instruction at any time during the year?
Parents will be asked to make a commitment for at least one full 9-week grading period. Special circumstances that affect a family will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that if a student switches between on-campus learning and remote learning, then that student may not have the same teacher(s) or course schedule, as teachers may or may not be teaching both an on-campus and a remote class.
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If my child participates in remote learning, will they still be associated with their home campus?
Yes, each student will continue to be connected to their home campus.
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Will my student’s remote learning teachers be from our home campus?
The assignment of teachers for remote learning will be based on student enrollment. Remote courses will be taught by certified Pearland ISD teachers. There may be some situations in which your student’s teachers may not be from your student’s home campus. Pearland ISD has talented teachers working across the district. Students and parents can expect the same caliber of teaching and a consistent learning experience.
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How will remote learning in the 2020-2021 school year be different from the remote learning in the spring of 2020 during the state-wide closure?
The Texas Education Agency has put strict criteria in place for school districts to be able to offer remote instruction when school starts. Remote online learning will be as rigorous as on-campus instruction and will follow the same grading and attendance expectations. Consequently, remote instruction and the level of student and teacher engagement will be increased from what was delivered in the Spring.
Remote learning this year will be a full course load of instruction and assignments that are comparable to what students who are attending school in-person will be required to complete. Please refer to the sample schedules.
Remote Learning Sample Schedules
(updated to reflect new school hours)
- Elementary (Sample Schedule)
- Middle School (Sample Schedule)
- Junior High School (Sample Schedule)
- High School (Sample Schedule)
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Will grading be different for remote learning vs. on-campus learning?
No, according to TEA guidance, the grading policies for remote instruction must be consistent with the district’s grading guidelines for on-campus learning.
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Will STAAR/EOC be administered in the 2020-2021 school year? Will students participating in remote learning have to take the STAAR/EOC exams?
At this time, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has indicated that STAAR testing will still occur during the 2020-2021 school year, in compliance with state and federal legislation.
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How will I receive my child’s remote learning schedule?
Student schedules will be released via Skyward prior to the first day of school. Due to enrollment timelines, schedules and teachers are subject to change after the first day of school.
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Is Pre-Kindergarten in the remote learning setting a full day or half day program?
Due to the age of a Pre-K student, participating in a full day of remote instruction is not age-appropriate. Therefore, the remote learning instruction will be a half day.
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Do Pre-Kindergarten students still have to meet state eligibility requirements to enroll in Pearland ISD and in remote learning, just as they do for on-campus instruction?
Yes, the state eligibility requirements are the same for Pre-K students to participate in remote learning as they are for on-campus instruction.
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Will remote lessons be taught live or via pre-recorded video and be self-paced?
The remote learning instruction will be done through a combination of a Remote Synchronous Instruction format and a Remote Asynchronous Instruction format.
Remote Synchronous Instruction - Two-way, real-time/live, virtual instruction between teachers and students when students are not on campus learning. Students are expected to be actively engaged during their scheduled times.
Remote Asynchronous Instruction - Instruction that does not require having the instructor and student engaged at the same time. The student is required to be engaged daily with work and the teacher is required to give consistent feedback.
Remote Learning Sample Schedules
- Elementary (Sample Schedule)
- Middle School (Sample Schedule)
- Junior High School (Sample Schedule)
- High School (Sample Schedule)
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Will all courses that are offered on campus be offered in remote learning for students in Grades 6 - 12?
Many courses will be offered. However, based on the specific course requirements, there are some specialized courses that will not be available in remote learning. If a student enrolls in remote learning but has a course selection that is not offered, that student’s parents will be contacted prior to school starting. In order to participate in these courses, the student will have to choose on-campus learning instead of remote learning. A student can also choose to have their course selections changed in order to remain in remote learning. Campus staff will work with students choosing to have their selections changed to identify a suitable replacement course, if available, and adjust their schedule. Students in remote learning will have access to all levels of instruction (Regular, PAP and AP) and will be provided with a variety of core classes and limited elective choices.
Remote Learning Course Limitations
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What will the Learning Management System (LMS) be for remote learning?
Students will engage in remote learning through these Learning Management Systems (LMS), Seesaw for PreK – 4th and Canvas for 5th – 12th. Other instructional resources will be utilized just as they are in face-to-face classes and will be accessed through Seesaw or Canvas.
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How will Pearland ISD’s youngest students manage Seesaw courses?
Support will be provided to parents (Learning Coaches) and students to help them utilize Seesaw effectively. Learning Coaches of younger students will need to assist students with some activities (i.e. uploading assignments) but will not be expected to teach the student lessons.
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Is Pearland ISD providing computers and/or internet hotspots for students who choose to participate in remote learning?
Pearland ISD is currently working on a 1:1 initiative for Pearland ISD students that will provide either an iPad (PK-1st grade) or a touchscreen laptop (2nd -12th grade). There are expected delays in receipt of devices and deployment to students. Delays may require students to use a device available at home until District receives ordered technology. A limited supply of temporary devices may be checked out to students without an available device at home. If temporary devices are needed, they will not be checked out until the start of school. Similar to the end of last year, the District also has a limited number of hotspots that can be checked out at the start of the school year for students in need of internet access. The need for students will be based on the answers provided during the Skyward Registration process.
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If I have multiple children participating in remote learning, can they share a device?
No. All students will participate in remote learning during normal school hours and will follow a specific schedule. For much of the day, the student and teacher will have to be online at the same time for teaching and learning. Therefore, multiple children in the same household would not be able to use the same computer. They all will need to be online with their individual remote learning teachers during the same time period.
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Are iPads acceptable for use by students participating in remote learning?
iPads are recommended only for grades Pre-K through 1st grade.
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Are smart phones acceptable for use by students participating in remote learning?
It is recommended for students to use district issued device through the 1:1 initiative or similar device. Although smart phones can work for some remote learning activities, they cannot work for all.
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Will students in remote learning have access to instructional materials, such as guided reading books or other classroom resources?
Students will be provided with some instructional materials that will vary based on the grade level and coursework of the student. Some resources may be provided digitally. The design of classroom instruction will account for student’s access to specific instructional materials in the home.
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Will students participating in remote learning need to purchase school supplies for the new year?
Yes. Families will need to purchase typical school supplies.
School Supplies
*Junior High & High School - Supplies per teacher
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Will resources be available for parents to support and monitor their child’s remote learning?
Yes. The district will provide resources throughout the year for parents to support their students in navigating digital tools.
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Will courses taken in remote learning be included in GPA calculations and class rank for high school students?
Yes. Courses taken by students participating in remote learning will be included in calculating GPA and class rank in accordance with EIC (Local) policy.
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What about students receiving specific related services?
Students who are guaranteed support and related services through Special Education, English as a Second Language, Bilingual Education, Section 504, etc. and choose remote learning will receive information related to their program once individualized plans are finalized.
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If my child is identified as Gifted and Talented through the school system, will his or her instructional needs be able to be met in the remote learning environment?
Yes. Students will receive gifted services in both learning formats and will have a teacher who has received the required professional learning. Gifted students will be clustered with other gifted students to the extent possible.
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Will Dual Language programs be offered through remote learning?
At this time, the Pearland ISD Dual Language program will be offered through remote learning. The Bilingual/ESL and Curriculum & Instruction Departments are working on several options to ensure the progression of student learning. The most effective instructional model for the complexities of meeting individual student’s needs in the Dual Language program is on-campus instruction.
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If a student who participates in the Dual Language program starts the school year enrolled in remote learning, will he/she be able to stay in the program if he/she returns to on-campus learning?
Yes, as long as the student returns to on-campus learning at the start of a new grading period, he/she will be able to stay in the Dual Language program.
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Will advanced courses such as Pre-Advanced Placement (PAP) and Advanced Placement (AP) be offered in remote learning?
All advanced core content will be offered in remote learning in grades 7-8. Elective choices are specific to the campus.
In grades 9-12, most PAP and AP courses will be offered in remote learning. All classes must meet minimum enrollment requirements. Courses that are not offered in remote learning are due to low overall enrollment. For specific course listings, please refer to the link below.
Remote Learning Course Limitations
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If a child participates in remote learning, can they still participate in campus clubs or other campus organizations?
In grades 5 -12, those extracurricular and co-curricular activities which can be held in a remote environment will be done so at the discretion of the campus and sponsor. Contact your child’s sponsor/campus for further guidance.
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Can students in grades 7-12 who select remote learning still participate in UIL/extracurricular competitions, including athletics, fine arts, etc?
Pearland ISD will allow students who choose the remote learning option to participate in UIL and extracurricular activities. While we believe our initial stance creates the safest environment for all students, we also recognize the importance and advantages of participation that these activities play in a student’s social and emotional wellbeing. Students will not be allowed to participate in person for Athletic or Fine Arts courses during the school day.
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Will students still be able to take Dual Enrollment classes in the 2020-2021 school year?
At this time, all ACC Dual Enrollment courses will only be offered in a virtual setting. Students that choose the on-campus option will participate in their regularly scheduled time slot on-campus.
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How will students access hands-on practice for specialized CTE courses?
The Texas Education Agency has determined that certain CTE courses require skill development. This means that while remote instruction is offered for all CTE courses, a few CTE courses will require on-campus instruction and hands-on skills demonstration in addition to remote instruction to successfully complete the course. The teacher will communicate when students need to participate in on-campus activities. The following courses require on-campus instruction and hands-on demonstration:
- Automotive Technology courses
- Welding courses
- HVAC / Electrical courses
- Construction Technology courses
- Pharmacy Technician course
- EMT course
- Dental I course
Important Links
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- Building Entrance Self Screening
- Building Entrance Self Screening Spanish
- Plan to Proceed FAQ
- Medical Committee Members
- Connected 1:1 Initiative
- Courses Not Offered via Remote Learning
- Back to School
- Behavior Expectations for Remote Learning
- Education Rights English
- Education Rights Spanish
- Remote Learning Childcare Support Programs
- Parent Survey Results
- Employee Survey Results
- Summer Marching Band
- Plan to Proceed Learning Options
- Plan to Proceed Timeline
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Remote Learning Sample Schedules
(updated to reflect new school hours)
- Elementary (Sample Schedule)
- Middle School (Sample Schedule)
- Junior High School (Sample Schedule)
- High School (Sample Schedule)
Remote Learning Course Limitations