Frequently Asked Questions about 2020-2021 @ SISD:
1. If a child who is doing face-to-face learning becomes sick or is in close contact with a sick person and needs to be absent 2-3 weeks due to the situation, will the child be able to connect remotely and do the work required for the remote learning students and be able to maintain their attendance for the sake of earning credit?
Yes, If a student doing face-to-face instruction is out 2-3 weeks, regardless of the reason, we would accommodate them through our remote learning options and bring them back to face-to-face learning as they are cleared to return.
2. Does Sealy ISD have a plan in place for substitute teachers? If a teacher is out for a few weeks, they will need the classes covered? Are there subs enough for multiple teachers out?
We do have a plan for to have substitutes cover in the event that teachers are out. However, we know substitutes might be more difficult to come by due to COVID-19. There could be cases where a teacher needs to quarantine at home and we set them up to continue teaching their students using a video platform from home. This could apply if a teacher is asymptomatic and/or wishes to continue providing instruction to their class during the time they are quarantined. In those cases we would put a para-professional or substitute in the classroom with the students.
3. Does Sealy ISD have a plan in place for preventing teachers from infecting each other? Many adults who have contracted coronavirus have contracted it at work from co-workers.
All staff members will be required to wear face shields when they are not socially distanced from others.
4. What specific plans are in place to help promote social distancing in the classroom? Is there enough room to keep kids separated in the classroom? Have there been any modifications to class sizes?
What we can do with class sizes depends on the number of students who choose remote learning. We hope to have specific numbers by August 5 and plan accordingly. We will maintain a minimum of 3 feet between students and will maintain 6 ft whenever possible. We are also requiring students in fifth grade up to wear masks.
5. What are the specific plans to help protect kids in extracurricular activities such as athletics, band, choir, and theater which involve increased respiratory secretions?
UIL has specific guidelines in place for protecting students in extracurricular activities and we will follow their recommendations. Please see the linked UIL Guidelines.
6. Does Sealy ISD have the necessary cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer on hand currently to meet their needs?
Yes, we do, the state has provided some and the district has secured extra supplies from SSC who are our custodial services provider. There will be hand sanitizer stations in every classroom. Students and staff will be required to use it when entering and exiting the classroom.
7. Is there a threshold/ point at which a class or school would be quarantined or shut down? Has this scenario been discussed?
Yes, we have plans to close a facility if the confirmed cases reach 10% of the facility occupancy. (500 student campus, we would close if we had 50 confirmed cases) We reserve the right to close earlier if we feel it is the appropriate action to keep students and staff safe. The state will only allow us to close for a maximum of five consecutive days. We believe we will need at minimum 48 hours to do a deep cleaning of facilities.
8. Regarding remote learning vs. face-to-face -- is there any grace period at the beginning of the year for parents who really aren't sure if they can do remote learning or if their child can handle schooling with these new parameters? Is there a deadline by which a family has to decide which plan is right for them?
A family has two weeks prior to the beginning of school to select their preferred method of learning. After that, they are locked in until the end of the first grading cycle. It would be really difficult to allow changes because we will allocate staff and resources to accommodate both remote and face-to-face instruction.
9. What will the holding areas look like in the morning as students arrive?
Each campus will establish what holding areas will look like specific to their numbers and facilities. What we will not be able to do is send all students to the cafeteria at one time or to the gymnasium. It could potentially look like students reporting to their homeroom, being assigned study halls, etc.
10. How will we handle orientation night?
Orientation will be virtual, campus leaders will be sharing plans soon. Parents can schedule on-campus visits for their students by contacting the campus office.
11. What will class sizes look like? Will they be smaller?
We will make every effort to reduce class sizes. This will depend largely on the remote learning numbers. Ideally, we would like to have a 3-6ft space between students in the classroom whenever possible.
12. Why are we not doing temperature screenings for all students?
Temperature checks are not a recommended practice from TEA in screening for or controlling the spread of COVID-19. "Regularly performing a forehead temperature check of otherwise asymptomatic students in school is not recommended, but the practice is also not prohibited by the guidance."
The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics note that it is not as likely for children to have a fever as a symptom of COVID-19 as it is for adults.