| Attendance/Instruction/Operation |
The 2020-2021 school year will begin on August 10th for staff and August 17th for students.
Campuses will operate as normal as possible while ensuring students follow social distancing guidelines at all times. We will offer remote instruction for students whose parents opt for that method. If a household is unable to gain internet access, then they will need to join class via phone call and teachers can provide instructional materials by whatever means they deem appropriate.
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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 be promoted to the next grade level (Texas Education Code 25.092).
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Transition from remote learning to on-campus learning must occur at the end of the grading period.
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Schools should attempt to reduce in-person staff meetings or other opportunities for adults to congregate in closed settings. When meetings are necessary and cannot be held virtually, everyone must follow the mask protocols in this document and remain 6 feet apart where feasible.
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Remote attendance will count in the same manner as on-campus attendance in satisfying this requirement. Daily attendance will be taken according to board policy FEB (LOCAL), which is during the second instructional hour.
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| Truancy laws will apply to students who fail to attend school either in-person or virtually. |
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| On-Campus Information |
Full, Regular School Days (Monday - Friday)
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Students can transition to remote learning due to illness or positive COVID-19 case.
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| Remote Learning |
Full School Days (Monday - Friday) with daily assignments and checks for understanding.
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Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous through Google Classroom.
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Remote Learning will not be the same type of virtual instruction provided during the spring school closure. The requirements for remote learning are significantly more demanding on a student’s daily participation and completion of work at home, as compared to this past spring.
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Students will be required to participate in district/state assessments as scheduled (may require on-site testing)
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Students cannot participate in extra-curricular (UIL) competitions.
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Internet connection required.
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Some electives may require on-campus activities (i.e. welding class).
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| COVID-19 Symptoms for Screening |
| Temperature of 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or higher when taken by mouth |
| Loss of taste or smell |
| Cough |
| Difficulty breathing |
| Shortness of breath |
| Fatigue |
| Headache |
| Chills |
| Sore throat |
| Congestion or runny nose |
| Shaking or exaggerated shivering |
| Significant muscle pain or ache |
| Diarrhea |
| Nausea or vomiting |
| "Close contact" is defined as (a) being directly exposed to infectious secretions (i.e. being coughed on); or (b) being within 6 feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes; however, additional factors like case/contact masking (i.e. both the infectious individual and the potential close contact have been consistently and properly masked), ventilation, presence of dividers, and case symptomology may affect this determination. Either (a) or (b) defines close contact if it occurred during the infectious period of the case, defined as two days prior to symptom onset to 10 days after symptom onset. |
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| COVID-19 Information - Individuals Confirmed or Suspected with COVID-19 |
Any individual who is either (a) lab-confirmed positive, or (b) is experiencing symptoms must stay home throughout the infection period and cannot return to campus until the school screens the individual to determine any of the following conditions for campus re-entry have been met:
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1. In the case of a person who was diagnosed with COVID-19, he or she may return to school when all 3 conditions have been met: 1. at least one day (24 hours) has passed since recovery (no fever and no longer using medication); 2. the individual has improved symptoms (i.e. cough, shortness of breath); or 3. at least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
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2. In the case of a person who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 but is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested positive, the person is assumed to have COVID-19 and may not return to campus until the person has completed the same 3-step set of criteria above.
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3. If the person has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to school before completing the above stay at home period, the person must either obtain a note from a physician clearing him or her, or obtain an acute infection test at an approved testing location (https://tdem.texas.gov/covid-1... ) that comes back negative for COVID-19.
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| COVID-19 Information - Identifying Possible COVID-19 Cases on Campus |
Schools must immediately separate any student who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at school until the student can be picked up by a parent/guardian.
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Schools should clean the areas used by the individual who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at school as soon as is feasible.
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Students who report feeling "feverish" should be given an immediate temperature check to determine if they are symptomatic .
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| COVID-19 Information - Required Actions if Lab-Confirmed Cases Are in a School |
If a person is lab-confirmed positive, the school must notify our local health department.
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Schools must close off areas that were heavily used by the person with the lab-confirmed case until the non-porous surfaces can be disinfected, unless more than 7 days have already passed since that person was on campus.
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Schools must notify all teachers, staff, and families of all students in a school if a lab-confirmed case is identified among students, teachers, or staff who participate on any on-campus activities.
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| COVID-19 Information - Masks |
Schools are required to comply with the Governor's executive order regarding the wearing of masks.
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Masks include non-medical disposable face masks, cloth face coverings (over nose and mouth), or full face shields to protect eyes, nose, and mouth.
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Students age 10 or older may be required to wear masks, depending on the number of positive cases in the county.
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It may be impractical for students to wear masks while participating in non-UIL athletic or other extra-curricular activates. However, schools must require students, staff, and visitors to wear masks when entering and exiting facilities and practice areas and when not actively engaging in those activities. Students who are exercising may be allowed to remove masks if they are at least six feet apart from other persons who are not wearing masks.
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Masks will be worn during passing periods (for students age 10 and older) and anytime students or staff are not able to social distance.
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Cloth masks should be washed daily.
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All employees, parents, visitors and students ten years of age or older must wear face coverings or face shields upon entry to an area where UIL activities are being conducted and when not actively practicing or playing in the contest, unless an exception applies (medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering, while consuming food or drink, when a congregating group of persons maintains at least 6 feet of social distancing).
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| COVID-19 Information - Health and Hygiene Practices |
Parents will be asked to screen their child daily for COVID-19 symptoms prior to bringing him/her to school.
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Teachers and staff shall self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms and take their temperature prior to arrival on campus.
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School staff should notify school officials if they have symptoms, are lab-confirmed positive, or if they've had close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed with COVID-19.
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All students shall be screened for COVID-19 symptoms (parents do this at home daily) and will have their temperature taken upon arrival to campus.
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Parents must ensure they do not send a child to school (on campus) if he/she has symptoms, is lab-confirmed positive, or have had contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed positive.
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Schools should have hand sanitizer at each entrance and require students, teachers, and staff to use it whenever they enter the building.
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Hand sanitizer should also be available at each entrance to the school facility and in every classroom, and students and teachers should be encouraged to use it frequently.
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Students, teachers, and staff should also wash hands or use hand sanitizer after they have touched something another person recently touched.
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Students should be instructed in good handwashing techniques and given frequent opportunities to wash their hands.
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Students should engage in supervised handwashing multiple times each day, in addition to being encouraged to wash hands after using the restroom.
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Employees are encouraged (unless required by health order from Governor or TEA) to wear cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth). If available, employees should consider wearing non-medical grade face masks.
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Similarly, students for whom it is developmentally appropriate may be required to wear cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth), except while doing an activity where the mask cannot be worn (e.g., eating). It is most likely not developmentally appropriate for students younger than five years old and for some students with disabilities to wear masks or face coverings.
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Where possible, dividers should be placed on desks if they can serve the purpose of shielding students, teachers, and staff from respiratory droplets with which they might otherwise come into contact. This could be particularly helpful in settings where individuals cannot otherwise wear cloth face coverings or masks.
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It is recommended for students to bring their own water bottle.
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Campus custodial staff will disinfect all areas used for school daily. Cleaning practices will be intensified throughout the day, paying close attention to areas of the building and classrooms that are commonly touched.
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Bus drivers will disinfect buses daily before and after use.
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| COVID-19 Information - General Education Information (for on campus instruction) |
We will encourage students to practice social distancing and minimize the number of students who they encounter regularly.
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All instruction will be held in spaces that allow desks to be placed at least six feet apart. In classrooms where students are regularly within six feet of one another, we will plan for more frequent hand washing and/or hand sanitizing and will consider whether increased airflow from the outdoors is possible.
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Whenever possible and developmentally appropriate, there should be no group or pairs work that would require students to regularly interact within six feet, recognizing that this is not possible for early childhood students and some students with disabilities.
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Students must not be brought together in assemblies, field trips, or other group gatherings outside of their class group, unless the distancing of 30 feet between groups can be maintained.
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Whenever possible, students, teachers, and staff should maintain consistent groupings of people, to minimize virus spread in the school.
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Any technological device used by students must be disinfected by appropriate personnel after use.
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| Custodial Operations |
| All custodians will work each day and thoroughly disinfect every area of each building/office that is used throughout the day. |
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| Employee Leave |
If an employee, absent a medical condition, is fearful or reluctant to return to the workplace, we will inform them of steps taken to ensure their safety.
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School districts must provide up to two weeks (10 days, 80 hours) of emergency paid sick leave (EPSL) to full-time employees who are unable to work due to a qualifying reason (info available at https://www.tasb.org/services/legal-services/tasb-school-law-esource/personnel/documents/personnel-provisions-in-the-families-first-coronavirus-response-act.pdf ).
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| If the employee continues to refuse to return, all leave policies will be enforced and we will provide access to accrued paid and unpaid leave that will be offered fairly and consistently. |
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| Extra-curricular activities |
Schools may allow spectators to attend games, contests, or events within a maximum 50% capacity limitation, provided that appropriate spacing between spectators is maintained according to health protocols (social distancing with no groups larger than 10 in same household, masks required, hand sanitizing stations at entries, etc.)
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Students who opt for home instruction due to COVID-19 concerns will not be allowed to participate in extra-curricular activities.
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Screening for COVID-19 is required for all staff and visitors.
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| Staff must wear masks while inside locker rooms, meeting rooms, training rooms, band halls, and other areas where students may congregate other than shower facilities. |
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| Food Service |
| Breakfast |
Duncan: Breakfast in the classroom with social distancing guidelines enforced.
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| Secondary: Breakfast will be offered between 1st and 2nd periods. Social distancing guidelines must be enforced. |
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| Lunch |
Duncan: Lunch will take place In the cafeteria with small enough groups to ensure we can effectively social distance. If the need arises, we can offer lunch in classrooms. Parents will not be allowed to eat lunch with their child until the pandemic eases.
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Secondary: We will ensure lunches are scheduled and planned for to allow for social distancing.
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Breakfast and Lunch for students who opt for remote learning will be offered via curbside pickup at both campuses from 7 am to 8 am each morning.
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| Grading Policy |
| FISD grading policies will be followed whether students are on campus or in remote learning. |
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| Hallway Traffic |
| Traffic flow in hallways will try to be minimized and traffic flow must ensure at least 6 feet distance between students and staff. Masks should be worn while in the hallways (ages 10 and older). |
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| Office Staff |
All office staffs will work each day we offer on-campus instruction.
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| If closure is required, each office will be responsible for making arrangements with post office, UPS, Fed Ex, etc. for pick up of mail or deliveries. |
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| PE/Recess |
Social distancing guidelines will be enforced during PE and recess times.
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All equipment must be disinfected after use.
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Absolutely no intermingling of classes while at recess.
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| When feasible and appropriate, it is preferable for students to gather outside, rather than inside, because of likely reduced risk of virus spread outdoors. |
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| School Dismissal Times |
| We will attempt to stagger dismissal times for all grade levels with social distancing guidelines in place while students wait for their car or bus. |
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| Special Services (SPED, Dyslexia, ESL, etc.) |
| Special services will be offered virtually for those students who require services and opted for the remote learning option. |
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| Technology |
Students in Pre-K through 12th grade will issued a Macbook laptop or iPad for use (on campus and remote learning).
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Parents/Guardians must sign and submit a Laptop/iPad agreement for each child before the device is issued.
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Technology use guidelines are still in effect for students who opt for remote learning.
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Please avoid spraying any type of disinfectant on any technological device (spray on cloth first, then wipe down).
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Technology use should be avoided when eating or drinking.
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| Transportation |
Route buses will run as normal.
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We may offer multiple city routes to keep groups smaller if the need arises.
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| Health protocols will be in place with social distancing/assigned seating. |
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| Travel |
Travel will be limited to essential business only.
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| Student travel for non-regional/state extracurricular activities will not be approved until it is safe to do so (especially trips involving overnight stays). |
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| Visitors |
All visitors are encouraged to call ahead, when possible, to help manage traffic flow into buildings and to help limit the number of people in school facilities.
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In lieu of on-site visits, video conferencing or teleconferences should be offered.
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All students will be dropped off in car/bus lanes (no parents walking kids into buildings).
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If visitors will be on campus, they must be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and must wear a mask (covering nose and mouth).
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| If a student needs to be dropped off late or withdrawn early, please call the office and wait in your vehicle. We will walk students out to your vehicle. |
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