The content below was an initial reopening plan. Its details are not currently managed. For the most updated and accurate information, please visit our Return to School section.
Amarillo ISD Reopening 2020-2021
*As of July 14, 2020 - information will be updated as more details become available and/or change
We are excited to welcome our students back to school in August, whether we see you in-person or virtually. We are working to provide a safe, productive environment for all.
See the following information regarding plans for reopening the 2020-21 school year. Please note that details are subject to change based on guidelines from local, state, and federal authorities. Information will be updated periodically to meet changing guidelines.
Key Details
Two Learning Options for Students
Amarillo ISD families will select from two options for their children. Parents will choose from the two options during registration; detailed information will be provided to parents.
As AISD develops options, we are keeping contingencies in mind. Campuses or classrooms providing in-person instruction may experience intermittent closures.
Priorities
School Year Calendar and School Minutes Change
The school year calendar has not been revised. See the AISD 2020-2021 Calendar page (PDF opens in new window) for details.
However, school hours have been revised to reflect the following:
Level | Start Time | End Time | 2020/2021 Additional Minutes |
---|---|---|---|
High School | 8:05 a.m. | 4:03 p.m. | 18 minutes |
Middle School | 8:00 a.m. | 3:50 p.m. | 10 minutes |
Elementary [A Campuses] | 7:55 a.m. | 3:35 p.m. | 20 minutes |
Elementary [B Campuses] | 7:50 a.m. | 3:30 p.m. | 20 minutes |
These changes will provide the District approximately 10 days for inclement weather and other crisis related closures.
​School Hours
General school hours for the 2020-21 school year will be:
Efforts Underway for the New School Year
As a District, we cannot allow this public health crisis to become a generational education catastrophe. Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a major disruption. The District is focused on two major collective challenges:
Our goal is to safely maximize learning opportunities for students. By making certain operational adjustments, we will create an environment where students can learn and the risks of viral spread will be reduced. To support these efforts, our district has invested in the following:
Reopening: Frequently Asked Questions
Attendance Requirements:
Currently, do public schools in Texas have to reopen in August 2020?
Yes. School systems must provide daily on-campus instruction and record attendance for students while following TEA’s public health procedures.
To be awarded credit or be promoted must my child attend 90% of the days either in-person or virtually?
Yes. Per Texas Education Code (TEC), §25.092, students must attend 90% of the days a course is offered (with some exceptions) in order to be awarded credit for the course and/or to be promoted to the next grade. This requirement remains in force during the 2020-21 school year.
Prevention Practices upon Entry to the Building:
Will staff be required to answer daily screening questions before entering the school?
Yes, teachers and staff will self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day. The self-screening should include teachers and staff taking their own temperature. Teachers and staff must report to the school system if they themselves have COVID-19 symptoms or are lab confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, they must remain off campus until they meet the criteria for re-entry. Additionally, they must report to the school system if they have had close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, must remain off campus until the 14-day incubation period has passed.
Will students be required to answer daily screening questions before entering the school?
Parents must ensure they do not send a child to school on campus if the child has COVID-19 symptoms or is lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and instead should opt to receive remote instruction until the conditions for re-entry are met. Parents may also opt to have their students receive remote instruction if their child has had close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed with COVID-19 until the 14-day incubation period has passed.
AISD will screen students for COVID-19. Screening will be accomplished by asking questions by phone or other electronic methods and/or in person.
(See COVID-19 symptoms listed below under Definitions & Descriptions.)
Will a student’s temperature regularly be checked by school officials?
No. At this time regularly performing a forehead temperature check of otherwise asymptomatic students in school is not recommended by the CDC.
Response Practices to Confirmed Cases:
What happens to a student or individual who is confirmed or suspected with COVID-19?
Any individuals who themselves either:
must stay at home throughout the infection period, and cannot return to campus until the school system screens the individual to determine any of the below conditions for campus re-entry have been met:
What will my child’s school do when they identify a possible COVID-19 case?
How will the school respond to a COVID-19 lab-confirmed case in the school?
Will visitors be allowed on campus?
To minimize spread and maintain social distancing, AISD will discourage and limit visitors on campus. Before visitors are allowed on campuses, AISD will screen all visitors to determine if the visitors, including parents, have COVID-19 symptoms or are lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, they must remain off campus until they meet the criteria for re-entry.
Additionally, school systems must screen to determine if visitors, including parents, have had close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, they must remain off campus until the 14-day incubation period has passed. When practical, screening questions could be supplemented with temperature checks of adults.
Mitigation Practices Inside Building:
What precautions will be in place on campus?
We will implement increased signage around campuses promoting disease mitigation strategies, increased cleaning and sanitation practices, as well as frequent reminders of hand hygiene and social distancing. Masks will be highly recommended and encouraged for staff and students (and required when State guidelines mandate face coverings.) AISD will comply with all health and safety recommendations established by the health department and Texas Education Agency. Classrooms will be arranged to maximize space between students.
We encourage students and staff to provide their own PPE. However, in an effort to get school started, with the support of the State, AISD has secured the following:
Item | Quantity |
---|---|
Small Disposable Face Masks | 87,324 |
Medium Disposable Face Masks | 203,756 |
Small Re-Usable Masks | 20,215 |
Medium Re-Usable Masks | 52,554 |
Gloves | 134,266 |
Thermometers | 242 |
Hand Sanitizer | 3,426 gallons |
Adult Face Shields | 3,949 |
What will the District, and my child’s school do to help ensure their safety?
Will students and staff be required to wear masks?
Schools are required to comply with the governor’s executive order regarding the wearing of masks
It may be impractical for students to wear masks or face shields while participating in some UIL athletic or other extracurricular activities. When it is impractical for students to wear masks or face shields during those activities, the District will require students, teachers, staff, and visitors to wear masks or face shields when entering and exiting facilities and practice areas and when not actively engaging in those activities.
As the Governor revisits the Executive Order [No. GA-29] relating to the use of face coverings, AISD will reexamine its expectation related to face coverings.
Will social distancing guidelines be observed?
Student-Teacher Groupings; i.e. classrooms:
Where feasible without disrupting the educational experience, AISD will encourage students to practice social distancing.
In classroom spaces that allow it, student desks will be placed a minimum of six feet apart when possible.
Use of Non-Classroom Spaces; i.e. auditoriums, gymnasiums:
When feasible and appropriate (for example, in physical education classes as weather permits), it is preferable for students to gather outside, rather than inside, because of the likely reduced risk of virus spread outdoors.
Campuses may continue to offer extracurricular activities, at their discretion and ensure all safety procedures are adhered to at all times.
UIL extracurricular activities will be guided by the University Interscholastic League [UIL].
Facilities open to the public, will be done consistent with the governor’s executive orders for similar activities.
Each campus must plan for entry, exit, and transition procedures that reduce large group gatherings (of students and/or adults) in close proximity.
Campuses may stagger school start and end times, assigning students to entries to ensure even distribution of students entering/exiting at each door, providing guidance to students to enter one at a time and wait six feet apart outside the entrance, and, where appropriate, encouraging parents to remain outside during drop-off and pick-up.
At this time, AISD will not have activities that bring large groupings of students and/or teachers and staff together [i.e. assemblies, pep rallies, etc.].
Campuses will develop enhanced practices that reduce the likelihood that students meet the close contact definition (see definition below) at lunch and other non-instructional times [i.e. Have students eat lunch at their desks, use of seats that are spaced at least 6 feet apart, use of dividers on cafeteria tables].
For meal service, cafeterias will continue to use disposable food service items for students who do not bring their own lunch.
All areas of the campus will be monitored frequently to encourage social distancing. Social distancing will be observed encouraging individuals to maximize personal space.
What will staff do if they have to quarantine due to COVID-19? Will the district provide extra sick or personal days for staff?
Requirements to quarantine are determined by the health department. In addition to existing leave balances in effect for employees, Amarillo ISD will follow all provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) which is in effect through December 31, 2020.
Will we still have open house(s), assemblies, or concerts?
No. At this time, large events will occur in a virtual setting or in small in-person gatherings that comply with CDC guidelines.
Will buses run?
Yes. Transportation will continue to be provided for all who qualify. Bus transportation is provided for all ARD approved special education students, homeless students, and eligible general education students who live two or more miles from their designated home campus. For enhanced health safety:
What precautions will be in place for athletics, fine arts, and other extracurricular activities?
Safety guidelines have been developed for conducting summer workouts, rehearsals, and practices. The district will continue to follow all guidelines provided by UIL, TEA, and the state.
For complete details please see the UIL COVID_19 Info; new updates are briefly summarized below:
Will students have recess or the ability to play and socialize with other students?
We are awaiting guidance from the Texas Education Agency on recess activities. However, we anticipate elementary students will have recess time with restrictions that reinforce social distancing.
Are immunizations required for virtual school?
Yes. At this time the Texas Department of State Health Services has not waived the vaccine requirements for students.
What happens if you close on-campus instruction for COVID-19?
In the event the District closes a campus(es), instruction will resume virtually. Student attendance requirements can be met if remote virtual instruction is offered while the campus is closed. Additionally, District minutes requirements can be obtained during virtual instruction.
Definitions & Descriptions
COVID-19 Symptoms
In evaluating whether an individual has symptoms consistent with COVID-19, consider the following questions:
Close Contact
This document 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:
Screening Questionnaire Information
When asking individuals if they have symptoms for COVID-19:
What are the methods for my child to receive instruction for the 2020/2021 school year?
Both instructional delivery formats must cover the required curriculum per TEC, §28.002.
In-Person Option
When schools are open and operating normally, students are scheduled to attend school on campus each day. Traditional in-person campus instruction and attendance monitoring will continue as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
In-person instruction must be offered for all grades served by the campus every day for every student who chooses the in-person option. Students may be scheduled into courses, including electives, offered at the campus.
Virtual School Option
AISD will use a combination of Synchronous/Asynchronous instruction for virtual instruction.
What are some of the expectations of Virtual Learning?
Students will engage in instruction that is a combination of both synchronous [Live remote instruction] and Asynchronous instruction [self-paced].
What happens if a “course” cannot be taught in its entirety in a virtual setting [i.e. welding]?
Students will need to:
If I choose one option and want to change the choice later in the year, can I make a switch?
Yes, virtual school is a fluid option. It is highly recommended that students only make a change at semester, if possible. AISD will be limiting transitions back to an on-campus setting to coincide with grading periods. Changing options mid-semester may have a negative impact on a student’s ability to receive credit, especially in elective courses.
What if most families choose the in-person option? Would there have to be changes to accommodate social distancing or will there be a limit of how many students can select the in-person option?
We will continue to work closely with TEA and local health authorities to ensure the safety of our students. We believe we will be able to provide instruction to students in whichever format their families choose. Keep in mind, AISD will comply with all mandates regarding social/physical distancing as well as health and hygiene protocols.
How will you address social, emotional, or mental health concerns?
Counselors are available to support students academically, socially, and emotionally and can provide mental health support or resources for families who may be struggling emotionally. During the summer, if a student needs to schedule a counseling session, please contact Tracey Morman at 326-1315. To ensure staff is equipped to address social and mental health concerns, Guidance and Counseling will continue to host training opportunities including trauma informed care, Mental Health First Aid, and social emotional learning. The District also offers DialCare Mental Wellness that is designed to provide your child with a safe, secure and private means of seeking help from a licensed professional counselor. Their counselors aid in depression, anxiety, grief, eating disorders, and more. To access this service: Download DialCare app, member.dialcare.com, or 855-335-2255.
Will teachers get to choose if they want a virtual or in-person schedule?
Staffing decisions will be determined based on student choice of instructional delivery. Principals, in cooperation with teachers, develop work assignments. If a teacher has safety concerns about returning to work on site, they should contact their principal. At this time, planning decisions include the possibility of requiring virtual teachers to report to an AISD facility to utilize AISD internet and instructional materials to lead virtual learning classroom instruction. Employees of the District, like employees of any organization, must continue to meet the work expectations set by their supervisors, subject to any applicable employment contract terms.
Teachers and staff will be trained specifically on the protocols outlined in this document and the practices adopted by the District/Campus.
The District/Campus will reduce in-person staff meetings or other opportunities for adults to congregate in close settings.
How will we register for in-person or virtual school? Will I be able to make a choice or does the district choose me?
During online registration, parents will choose the instructional option for each child. This decision allows campuses to staff and schedule accordingly. However, two weeks prior to the start of school, parents will be required to make a firm commitment in order for schools to finalize teacher staffing and student schedules.
Can students who select virtual school still participate in athletics and extracurricular activities?
Students who choose to participate in extracurricular activities are encouraged to choose the in-person option.
Will students remain enrolled at their school if they choose virtual school?
Yes. Students will remain enrolled at their home school.
Will meals be provided for students who select virtual school?
Options are being explored for providing meals to qualified students who select virtual school. There are currently no state or federal regulations that allow districts to serve meals to students who are not present on campus, although guidelines are expected in the near future.
Will students enrolled at AACAL, George Washington Carver Elementary Academy, and George Washington Carver ECA specialty programs still have the option to select virtual school and remain in the specialty program?
Yes. Students in specialty programs may select the virtual school option and still retain their specialty seats.
How will virtual school be different from at-home learning during the closure last spring?
Students who select virtual school will be required to attend and participate in class daily during regular school hours, and instruction will be led by a teacher. In the spring last year, students’ assignments were limited. Virtual school this year will be a full course load of instruction and assignments that is equivalent to what students who are attending school in-person will be required to complete. Teachers delivering virtual instruction will receive additional training and support in digital teaching strategies and using online curriculum.
Who will be accountable for State assessments?
Students participating in both in-person and virtual learning will be required to participate in state (STAAR/EOC/TELPAS, etc.) testing.
How will virtual school be staffed?
Schools will continue to be staffed based upon student enrollment and student course selections.
How will technology be distributed?
Technology devices will be distributed from students’ home campuses.
How will we know how to use District issued technology, and instructional platforms?
Training modules for students and parents are coming in the future.