July 28, 2020

In-Person Learning Questions:

 

What happens if a child or teacher in my child’s class is diagnosed with COVID-19?  

Any person testing positive for COVID-19 will self-isolate until the following conditions have been met:

• In the case of an individual who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to the in-person school when all three of the following criteria are met: 

  • at least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared

  • the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath)

  • at least 24 hours have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications)

What is the process for alerting parents of a positive COVID-19 case?  

Parents will be notified by the campus if a student or teacher tests positive for COVID-19. Parents will also be notified if their student has been determined to have had exposure to an individual who tests positive for COVID-19 as determined by the CSISD COVID-19 Response Team. All students and staff who meet TEA’s definition of exposure will be asked to quarantine and will switch to online instruction. 

Will students continue in a departmental model (switching students with a partner teacher who specializes in ELAR or Math/Social Studies/Science)?

Refer to the campus COVID-19 Safety Plan for specifics on classroom structure. 

What resources have been provided for teachers to be able to effectively instruct while also wearing a mask?  Has the district purchased, or do they plan to purchase classroom mics so that students will be able to hear a teacher wearing a mask?

CSISD will provide all teachers with a shield. This will allow students to see their teacher's mouth while providing protection for both the student and the teacher. The shield also allows greater voice projection and clarity. 

 

Online Learning Questions:

 

What training have teachers received in online pedagogy and best practices?  How will teachers continue to be trained and supported throughout this instructional shift?  

CSISD has gone to great lengths to ensure that the 2020-2021 Inservice Calendar has multiple opportunities for teachers to receive training to better equip them to successfully maneuver teaching both in-person and online learning while providing engaging, rigorous lessons. We will continue to provide training and support throughout the year.

Has the district obtained resources so that teachers can record high-quality video of themselves providing actual instruction (whether in a face to face classroom or in a static/solitary situation)?

CSISD has purchased a variety of instructional support systems that will allow improved ability for the teacher to actively record during real-time lessons or as preparation in advance. Schoology Learning Management System has an embedded feature that is very robust and will enable the process to be not only easier for the teacher to manage, but for the students to access as well.

What will be the expectation for instruction and assignments in an online delivery model?  

The online delivery model will have required minutes of log-in/assignment time depending on what grade the student is in. There will be videos to watch, assignments in various resources such as NewsEla, Nearpod, and SeeSaw just to name a few.  Some courses will require students to log-in and/or participate live in their assigned scheduled class following their class schedule. 

How will the district ensure that teachers offer adequate curriculum to engage a student for the required time frame rather than rely on busy work fillers?  

CSISD follows the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) which are our Standards. The knowledge and skills statements provide the context for the student expectations. The student expectations refer to what students are expected to do with regard to a particular knowledge and skills statement. CSISD is a TEKS Resource System district. The TEKS Resource System is our primary curriculum source. It includes activities, lessons, units, assessments, a scope and sequence and many other documents. We also utilize a variety of other resources, both print and digital, that support the standards. Both online and in-person learning will be designed for mastery of student learning outcomes based on the TEKS for each content area. Expectations for coursework and guidelines for grading for online and in-person learning will be the same. 

How will required time engaged in the course be measured?  Will independent reading be included in the hours required?  If so, how will this be measured/reported?

Daily coursework for online learning will mimic the coursework given to in-person students. In order to appropriately monitor progress in Schoology (LMS) as required by TEA, students will be required to log in daily and provide evidence of progress in a variety of forms. This evidence of progress may include, but are not limited to: completing daily assignments, quizzes, tests, attending a minimum amount of live video conferencing per class period per week, written assignments, video recordings demonstrating mastery of standards, independent reading, independent learning activities, or remote group projects. It is required that students participate in remote instruction daily for a duration of time that is equivalent to in person instruction. Students in grades PK-5 are required to participate 180 minutes per day and students in grades 6-12 are required to participate 240 minutes per day. 

What programs, apps, and websites are compatible and have embed capabilities with the district purchased LMS?  

The following educational resources have been purchased district-wide and are embedded in Schoology.

• Google Apps including Google Meet
• YouTube
• Nearpod
• Flowcabulary
• Discovery Education
• NewsELA
• Funbrain
• FlipGrid

We also have the following resources on campuses that are also embedded in Schoology. 

• Edpuzzle
• Brain Pop
• SeeSaw
• Vimeo
• Screencast-O-Matic
• Cengage
• VocabularySpellingCity
• Quizlet

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. Teachers can also embed other educational websites and resources.

What are the hardware (e.g. what tablets or devices are most compatible) requirements (e.g. what browsers should be used) for engaging in online learning?  

For optimal performance while using Schoology, we recommend upgrading to the latest versions of the supported browsers and additional requirements below. 

• Schoology strongly suggests that iOS users upgrade to the latest version. Schoology only supports the latest 3 versions of iOS. Whenever Apple releases a new version of iOS, Schoology will drop support for the oldest version it previously supported. To take advantage of all Schoology features, devices must run iOS 11.0 or above Learn more about supported versions of iOS.
• Schoology strongly suggests that users upgrade to the latest version. Schoology supports the latest 5 versions of Android. Whenever Google releases a new version of Android, Schoology will drop support for the oldest version it previously supported. To take advantage of all Schoology features, devices must run at least version 6.0 of the Android operating system.

Listed below are the supported browsers:

• Firefox (latest version) Download the latest version

• Internet Explorer 11+ (for Windows 8 and previous versions) Download the latest version

• Edge (for Windows 10+) Download the latest version

• Safari 10 and 11 Download the latest version

• Google Chrome (latest version) Download the latest version

How will student services be offered to special education, speech, gifted and talented, etc. students in an online delivery?

All special programs and services will continue to be provided during online learning. Each special program has specific protocols for online delivery of services. Depending on the service your child receives you may have the choice to have walk-in services, virtual one-to-one or small group services, or services integrated through the curriculum. 

What about students who receive free and reduced lunch who opt for or are required to engage in online learning?  How will they receive their food benefits?

CSISD will serve meals to go daily for breakfast and lunch for free and reduced students in grades PK-12. The meals can be picked up at China Spring Elementary School. For more information, contact Mary Ann Kaminski at 254-836-1115 or at mkaminski@chinaspringisd.net.

Questions for Both:

 

How will students be assigned to teachers and classrooms?  Will students be assigned to a certain teacher regardless of whether they opt for online versus face to face since quarantine and shifting of delivery options remains a threat?  If not, what support will be offered to help students as they transition into a new classroom as well as from face to face or online learning?  

Campuses will assign teachers and classrooms in accordance to regular campus procedures. Then the classes will be balanced upon the start of the school year. All CSISD teachers will teach both in-person and online students. Campuses will make every effort to ensure that students who transition between learning environments will remain with their originally assigned teacher; however, our top priority is to maintain balanced class sizes that allow for social distancing. In the event a student receiving in-person instruction must quarantine, they will remain with that teacher when they return to in-person instruction after completing the quarantine period. 

If students will remain with the same teacher regardless of instructional delivery mode, how will teachers manage the demands of two separate delivery options?  What extra time will be provided for teachers to create online dependent curriculum as well as support students?

Our teachers plan together and share lessons. They all follow the year at a glance which aligns all instruction to ensure consistency across each grade level. Teachers will strive to plan engaging rigorous lessons that meet the needs of both online and in-person learners; therefore, teachers will be presenting the same lesson regardless of the student learning environment. The online work will mirror the classroom work and depending on the assignment students will have opportunities to join the classroom live, watch recorded videos, and engage in learning through the LMS during their regularly scheduled class time. Students will also be able to meet virtually with their teacher before school, after school or during the teacher’s conference period. The goal is for teachers to only create one lesson plan that meets the needs of both online and in-person students.

Will schedule pick-up/meet the teacher nights remain as previously scheduled?  What alterations, if any, will there be to these dates and processes for starting the school year?

Each campus will send out specific instructions for schedule pick up or notification of student schedules. We will not hold “meet the teacher” in the traditional setting but each teacher will be posting a welcome video on the campus website. The elementary/intermediate teachers will include a view of their classrooms and what students can expect to see on the first day of school. 

July 22, 2020

 

Any possibility of learning earlier than expected who our child’s teacher will be? I’d like to reach out to see if she needs anything to help her run her classroom more smoothly or just make her life a bit easier this year. (beyond the school supply list since so much has changed since it was posted) 

In an effort to social distance as much as possible, we are waiting to finalize our class schedules and teacher assignments until the survey of in-person/on-line instruction is complete. 

Or can we sign up for a slot to help a teacher do whatever they need: make a good background for Zoom teaching, push desks around until a configuration works with guidance, place floor stickers, whatever!

For safety measures, we are not allowing visitors in the building at this time. 

Why is China Spring ISD electing to start both in-person and on-line instruction August 19, 2020? 

TEA and the CDC have provided extensive safety measures and protocols that are required for the safety of everyone. China Spring ISD has worked diligently to implement those practices and procedures. According to parent/guardian surveys a large percentage of our parents have selected in-person instruction. “The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school. The importance of in-person learning is well-documented, and there is already evidence of the negative impacts on children because of school closures in the spring of 2020.”

China Spring ISD also believes the best instructional setting for students is in-person instruction; however, regardless of the platform you choose for your child, rest assured we will support your decision. We are committed to providing your child an excellent education in either platform. ALL of our parents have the choice to select in-person instruction or on-line instruction to meet their family needs. 

How will the school handle symptomatic students? 

See students and staff displaying COVID-19 symptoms section in each of the Campus COVID-19 Safety Plans.

Will testing be required before they're allowed back? The symptoms of Covid are so varied, and similar to other infections-- how will this work?

Any individual who themselves are: a) lab-confirmed to have COVID-19; or b) experience the symptoms of COVID-19 must stay home throughout the infection period and cannot return to campus until the school system screens the individual to determine if the re-entry conditions have been met. 

• In the case of an individual who was lab-confirmed with COVID-19, the individual may return to school when all three criteria below have been met. 

  • At least one day (24 hours) has passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications); 

  • The individual has improvement in symptoms (such as shortness of breath, cough, etc.) and 

  • At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. 

• In the case an individual who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and who has not been evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, such individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to campus until the individual has completed the same three-step criteria listed above. 

• If the individual has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to school before completing the above stay at home period, the individual must either (a) obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis or (b) obtain an acute infection test at an approved testing location (https:/tdem.texas.gov/covid-19/) that comes back negative for COVID-19. 

Will students be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and temperature checked at school? 

No. TEA does not recommend temperature checks of students on campus but requires parents to screen and temperature check at home. We will monitor students all day and any student reporting feeling feverish or not feeling well will be temperature checked immediately and protocols followed.

Will a child have the same teacher whether they are online learning or in face to face classrooms? If not, what steps will the school take to mitigate the educational impact of transitions between the two (particularly in the case of a child being quarantined)? If so, what steps will the district take to support teachers in their dual role (e.g. how will they create lessons and support virtual students while they are teaching face to face students)?

Classes will be balanced upon the start of the school year. CSISD teachers will teach both in-person and online students. Campuses will make every effort to ensure that students who transition between learning environments will remain with their originally assigned teacher; however, our top priority is to maintain balanced class sizes that allow for social distancing. In the event a student receiving in-person instruction must quarantine, they will remain with that teacher when they return to in-person instruction after completing the quarantine period. Our teachers plan together and share lessons. They all follow the year at a glance which aligns all instruction to ensure consistency across each grade level. 

Will the schools be providing electronics for remote learning or will the students be using their personal electronics?

CSISD will provide devices for those students who do not have access to a device and need it to successfully participate in online learning at home. The Back to Class Survey will be sent to parents/guardians on Friday, July 31st. This survey includes a section on technology needs. 

Does the district have a dedicated team for Covid-19 plans and procedures? 

Yes. We have a district level COVID-19 Response Team that will handle all COVID-19 investigations. 

Can we pick up school supply packs beforehand if Meet the Teacher is canceled? I’ll want any notes during potential virtual learning to be in the right notebooks for later studying for tests.

School supply pack distribution will be handled at the campus level. If you are choosing to receive instruction online, you will need to contact the campus to arrange to pick up your school supply order.

What training, equipment, and software has or will the district make available for teachers to support online instruction?

CSISD has worked diligently to add the components necessary to provide rigorous, quality instruction to all students. We have purchased Schoology to use as our Learning Management System (LMS). This will allow for all of our students to have a single sign-on and for all parents/guardians to easily view coursework. We have also purchased several resources, including NewsEla, Nearpod, Seesaw, Discovery Ed and TExGuides, just to name a few. We have also established a professional development schedule to provide training and support to our teachers throughout the year. 

Has any sort of shortened day or “kindergarten” model (e.g. 1/2 of the class come 8-11, the other half come 12-3) been considered for the younger grades to cut down on numbers of students in class at once? Is this even possible with TEA guidelines?

TEA does not fund half day kindergarten programs. All grade levels are required to receive 75,600 minutes of instruction per year.

If a student tests positive, I’m assuming a 14 day quarantine is mandatory. What is the learning plan for that student?

If a student receiving in-person instruction tests positive and is quarantined, they will be moved to online learning for the duration of the quarantine period.

Has CSISD applied for any of the CARES Act funds to buy new technology?

CSISD has applied for ESSER funds and has purchased technology devices and on-line learning resources.

I've seen hybrid models represented in the guidelines put out by the TEA-- will this be an option? 

TEA requires all school districts to offer five day a week in-person instruction for any student that chooses it. CSISD does not currently have the resources or capacity to implement a hybrid model alongside in-person instruction. CSISD is concentrating its efforts on in-person instruction and enhancing the online virtual instructional model. Online learning will include some synchronous instruction in which a teacher is directly working with students in real time.

Will bus service be available? Will the number of students on busses be the same, or will there be a decrease in numbers?

Yes, CSISD will continue to run our regularly scheduled bus routes. All students will be required to wear masks for the duration of the ride and to use hand sanitizer while entering and exiting the bus. Social distancing will be practiced to the greatest extent possible.

How will CSISD meet the needs of students with 504 plans and IEPs?

Students receiving in-person learning will continue their 504 plan and IEP without interruption. For those who choose online learning, virtual meetings will be held to develop appropriate 504 plans and IEPs for the virtual environment. These will meet the unique needs of the student, including the unique needs resulting from the student’s home learning environment. The Virtual IEP will include appropriately challenging goals based on the students present levels of performance and participation in the virtual learning environment as well as evaluation data, teacher input, and input from parents. 

What is the policy for reporting if a student or staff member tests positive for Covid-19? Is that policy in place right now? as there are students and staff on campuses (especially HS) ? How will contact tracing work?

If a student tests positive for COVID-19 parents are required to contact the campus principal and follow the protocols in the Campus COVID-19 Safety Plan. If a staff member tests positive for COVID-19 they are required to contact the district level COVID-19 Response Team and follow the protocols in the Employee Guidance for COVID-19 flowchart.

How do I move my student from online learning at home to in person learning at school?

To move students from online learning to in-person learning parents/guardians must notify the campus registrar no later than the dates listed below.

• 8/14/20 for 2nd Six Weeks
• 9/18/20 for 2nd Six Weeks
• 10/23/20 for 3rd Six Weeks
• 12/11/20 for 4th Six Weeks
• 2/5/21 for 5th Six Weeks
• 4/1/21 for 6th Six Weeks

How will I register for online at home learning? Will I be able to make the choice or does the district choose for me?

CSISD will send out The Back to Class Survey to parents/guardians on Friday, July 31st. This survey includes a section on instructional guidelines where parents/guardians will be able to select either in-person learning or online learning.