Spring Branch Independent School District: What you need to know about the district’s 2020-2021 school year

Spring Branch ISD has made changes to its back to school plan.

The district has delayed the first day of school and announced all students will begin the year participating in remote instruction.

The first day of school, originally August 17, is now scheduled for August 24 after SBISD trustees voted 6-1 to amend the SBISD 2020-2021 academic calendar.

Here’s what to know so far:

Calendar

The first day of school has been postponed to August 24, 2020.

All students will begin the year participating in virtual instruction. Students will be welcomed back to school for face-to-face instruction beginning September 8.

Click here to view the 2020-21 school year calendar.

Measures underway or being considered

Student Health Protocols

• They are asking that every family in SBISD sign a SBISD Health & Safety Protocol Parent Acknowledgment Form, affirming commitment to keeping their child home if they are sick or have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive person.
• All students should do a daily self-evaluation before coming to school or boarding school transportation.
• All students will be instructed on methods to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 at school.
• All students should practice appropriate physical distancing, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.
• All students should regularly wash their hands when reporting to school and after using the restroom.
• All students will be trained on proper handwashing techniques and participate in scheduled handwashing times throughout the day.
• If physical distancing is not possible, face coverings should be used.
• All students (age-appropriate) are required to use non-medical grade face masks/face coverings/shields, covering nose and mouth, while in indoor common spaces.
• All masks and face coverings shall be free of any images, words, political slogans, with the exception of an SBISD school logo.

Employee Health Protocols

• They ask that every employee in SBISD commit to staying home if they are sick or are required to self-quarantine.
• All SBISD employees will be asked to submit a written health screener weekly.
• All SBISD employees will be required to complete a self-screening daily.
• All employees will be expected to know, understand and practice methods to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 at work.
• All employees must practice appropriate cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.
• All employees are expected to regularly wash their hands when reporting to work and after using the restroom.
• All employees should maintain physical distancing where possible.
• All employees are required to use non-medical grade face masks/coverings/shields, covering nose and mouth, while in indoor common spaces.
• All masks and face coverings shall be free of any images, words, political slogans, with the exception of an SBISD school or district logo.

Masks

Face covering/mask/shield should:

• Properly over the nose and mouth.
• Be worn when physical distancing is not possible or practical.
• Be worn during passing periods and in common spaces-e.g. restrooms, hallways, library, cafeteria, gym, meeting rooms, offices, after school, etc.
• Be worn on the bus.
• All masks/face coverings shall be free of any images, words, political slogans, with the exception of an SBISD school or district logo.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

• Each classroom and restroom will be sanitized daily.
• All high touch areas will be sanitized daily.
• Cleaning cloths will be changed for each classroom and common area to maximize room to room cleanliness.
• Custodians will wear masks and gloves during work hours.
• The cafeteria will be disinfected between lunch periods.
• Staff will have access to disinfectant wipes to sanitize working surfaces and shared objects after each use and during breaks in instruction.

Classrooms

• Classrooms will be cleared of unnecessary furniture such as reading couches and large bookshelves to allow the maximum square footage for student seating.
• Reduce and remove extra materials.
• Space seating/desks will be physically distanced when feasible.
• Turn desks to face in the same direction (rather than facing each other).
• Classrooms with tables will have students seated at opposite ends and have a divider between seats if the distance is less than 3 feet, or have students sit on only one side of tables, spaced apart or use tabletop partitions.

Physical Distancing

• SBISD will follow TEA guidelines for physical distancing. For example, in classrooms, SBISD will clear any unnecessary furniture, like reading couches.
• SBISD will space desks as far apart as possible, and we’ll turn desks to face all in the same direction.
• Classrooms with table seating will position students to achieve social distancing or use tabletop partitions as needed.

Transportation

• SBISD encourages all families, with the ability to do so, to transport children to and from school.
• Bus transportation will be offered for families who pre-register for bus service by July 24, 2020.
• Because the standard number of transported students compromises the ability to physically distance, all students will be required to wear face coverings/masks, covering nose and mouth while riding a district bus.
• All bus drivers will wear face-coverings.
• All students will use hand sanitizer upon boarding the bus.
• Each bus will be sanitized daily. Transportation staff will be trained in proper sanitation procedures.
• All SBISD vehicles will be equipped with sanitation and cleaning supplies.

Meal Service

• All Child Nutrition Services staff will continue to practice personal hygiene standards as required and will wear PPE while performing job duties.
• No outside food deliveries will be accepted (i.e., food, gifts, DoorDash, etc.).
• Students may bring their lunch.
• Grab and go style meals may be served in the cafeteria and taken to classrooms for consumption or other areas as designated by campus administration.
• Detailed information about meal services for families who chose the distance learning model will be provided.

Visitors and Volunteers

• All district facilities will be closed to nonessential visitors, parents, volunteers, and activities involving external groups or organizations for the first semester.
• Parents dropping students off in the morning or picking up at dismissal will be required to wait outside.
• Essential meetings will be conducted through virtual appointments or limited face-to-face visits.
• Public service providers, essential vendors, and contractors may be allowed into a district facility by appointment and must follow the check-in process.
• All visitors to an SBISD site will be verbally screened (via questioning) for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
• Any visitor who fails to satisfactorily answer the screening questions will not be allowed to enter and will be asked to leave immediately.

Instruction methods offered

Spring Branch ISD will offer face-to-face and virtual instruction for the upcoming school year.

All students will begin the year participating in at-home, virtual instruction.

Unless local health authorities state otherwise, students will be welcomed back to school for face-to-face instruction beginning on September 8.

Here’s what each instruction method will look like:

Face-to-face

• Students return to our schools
• Safety measures such as hand-sanitizing stations, PPE and handwashing schedules, and physical distancing when possible, will be in place.
• All staff and students will be required to wear face coverings/masks in indoor common spaces

Virtual

• Students learn online and follow a daily schedule.
• Includes required participation in “live”, real-time and “independent” learning sessions every class period of every school day.
• Attendance will be taken daily, and lesson plans will consist of regular student-teacher interaction, following the SBISD scope and sequence.

Survey

Parents can make their learning model selection in Skyward family access or complete the printed form and email it to their child(ren)‘s assistant principal or drop it off at the campus.

The deadline for parents to indicate whether their student(s) will participate in face-to-face or virtual instruction has been extended to midnight on July 31.

If a Learning Model Selection Form is not submitted, SBISD will assume your child(ren) is returning to school for face-to-face instruction.

Recent updates

Do you have questions about Spring Branch ISD’s plan?

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