Pearland ISD: What you need to know about the district’s 2020-2021 school plans

Pearland ISD has announced it will offer both face-to-face and virtual instruction for the upcoming school year.

The district has outlined social distancing and safety measures it plans to implement in its schools in order to keep students and staff participating in on-campus learning safe amid the coronavirus pandemic.

PISD has addressed measures regarding health protocols, sanitation, transportation and more.

Here’s what to know for the upcoming school year:

Calendar

The first day of school is scheduled for Aug. 31, 2020.

Click here to view the 2020-2021 school calendar.

Measures underway or being considered

Student health protocols

• All parents are responsible for ensuring that a daily self-screening of each student occurs prior to 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 social distancing, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
• All students should regularly wash their hands for 20 seconds.
• All students will be trained on proper handwashing techniques and participate in scheduled handwashing times throughout the day.
• All students ages 10 and older (age and health exceptions) are required to use non-medical grade face coverings, covering nose and mouth. Per CDC recommendations, face masks for students over the age of 2 (except for exemptions) are strongly encouraged.

Employee health protocols

• All Pearland ISD employees will be required to complete a daily self-screening prior to coming to work.
• All employees shall 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 (i.e. cough/sneeze into arm, cover mouth with tissue, etc.).
• All employees shall regularly wash their hands for 20 seconds.
• All employees shall maintain recommended social distancing from others, unless intervening in an emergency where an individual's safety is compromised.
• All employees shall use, at a minimum, non-medical grade face coverings, covering nose and mouth.

Face coverings

• Following federal, state and local mandates, the use of non-medical grade face coverings will be enforced in all Pearland ISD facilities.
• Face coverings will be required for all Pearland ISD staff.
• All students ages 10 and older (age and health exceptions) are required to use non-medical grade face coverings, covering nose and mouth. Per CDC recommendations, face masks for students over the age of 2 (except for exemptions) are strongly encouraged.
• Any individual coming to campus during the instructional day will be required to wear a face-covering for building access.

Health and hygiene practices

• Hand sanitizer stations will be at the entrances of each facility.
• Campuses will have structured times for student handwashing.
• Students and staff will be instructed in proper handwashing techniques.
• Students and staff will be trained in proper health hygiene and disease transmission prevention measures.
• Signage for proper hygiene practices will be posted throughout the buildings, in the restrooms and at the entrances.

Building logistics/procedures

• All buildings will post self-screening and mitigation practices.
• Classrooms will be arranged to provide the maximum social distancing possible within the constraints presented by the facility and the functions within that classroom.
• Isolation rooms will be identified at each campus/facility.
• When permitted, student gatherings will be held outdoors.
• Large group meetings and assemblies will be limited, held outdoors when feasible and held virtually when applicable.
• Maintenance staff will monitor HVAC systems to ensure better air exchange in buildings.
• Close off shared drinking areas and adjust restroom capacity.
• Limit locker usage.
• Remove or limit soft furnishing and shared toys.
• All practices will be reviewed to promote social distancing and limit the spread of COVID-19.

Arrival/Dismissal/Transitioning

Arrival

• Multiple entry points will be established (where applicable).
• Students will report straight to classrooms whenever possible.
• All areas of the building (gym, cafeteria, larger classrooms, common areas, etc.) will be utilized to limit the size of student groupings.

Dismissal

• Multiple exit points will be established (where applicable).
• Campuses will implement staggered release procedures (where applicable).
• Students will be released straight from their classroom whenever possible.

Transitioning

• Whenever possible, the transitioning of students will be limited during the school day.
• Traffic patterns will be established throughout the campus that separate individuals to the greatest extent possible.
• Staff and signage/floor marking will be posted to reinforce physical distance expectations.
• Students will be encouraged to move directly from one class to the next without congregating in the hallway during transitions.
• Considerations will be made at all levels based on student needs.

Meal Service

• All Food Services staff will use PPE while performing job responsibilities and will be trained to practice health and hygiene regulations.
• No outside food deliveries will be accepted.
• Visitors will not be allowed during breakfast/lunch times.

Breakfast

• Students will be seated to allow social distancing (when applicable).
• Cafeteria and serving areas will be cleaned as students transition.

Lunch

• Students will utilize the cafeteria for lunch on a limited basis.
• Students may eat in various locations throughout the building to maximize social distancing.
• Cafeteria, serving and eating areas will be cleaned between uses.

Transportation

• Students in all grade levels will be required to complete an online transportation request form through Skyward in order to be scheduled for bus service. Online transportation requests must be completed by August 1, 2020, in order to receive service when school begins.
• Bus seating will be assigned for all students.
• When possible, siblings or students residing in the same household will be seated together.
• Hand sanitizer will be available on each bus and students will use the hand sanitizer upon entry to the bus.
• All bus drivers and monitors will wear appropriate face coverings.
• All students (age and health exceptions) will be required to wear face coverings. Families are required to provide these for their students.
• Each bus will be sanitized between routes and Transportation staff members will be trained in proper sanitizing procedures.
• When possible, windows and roof vents will be opened while the bus is operating to increase the fresh air flow through the bus. Air conditioners will continue to be used in conjunction with the open windows.
• Bus stop locations may change from previous years in some areas to reflect the actual students who are utilizing bus service. As a result, some locations may require a student to walk a bit farther to a bus stop than in the past.
• For students choosing to use the optional bus fee service, payment may be made in full for the entire year once the fees are added in Skyward, or monthly payments may be made throughout the year.

Campus cleaning plan

• Campuses will be cleaned throughout the instructional day.
• Custodial staffing will be realigned to allow for ongoing cleaning of touch surfaces during the instructional day.
• Classrooms will be equipped for cleaning between student transitions.
• Teachers and students will be trained on cleaning techniques.
• Cleaning products will be properly stored when not in use.

Extracurricular/Non-Academic Activities

• Athletics and Extracurricular Activities will be conducted in alignment with UIL guidelines.
• Students will not be allowed to come to school during the day or after school solely for the purpose of participating in extracurricular activities. The sole reason established by the state for permitting and funding remote instruction is to address parent safety concerns related to COVID-19 spread. On-campus extracurricular activities are of equal or greater concern in terms of social distancing and other related safety issues. Thus, parents of students who opt for their child to receive remote learning during the academic day must apply that same decision to all extracurricular activities.
• There will be no indoor pep-rallies during the Fall semester. Outdoor pep-rallies or gatherings must be in compliance with state social distancing guidelines.
• Any student social activities (i.e. dances, celebrations) must be conducted in open-air venues or limited to less than 50 participants. All such activities, regardless of location, must be in compliance with federal, state and local social distancing guidelines.
• Hand washing or hand sanitation stations must be available for any activity.
• Use of face coverings should be implemented as feasible. All employees, parents, visitors and students must wear face coverings or face shields upon entry to an area where UIL activities are being conducted and when not actively practicing or exercising, unless an exception applies.
• Pearland ISD staff will follow the response protocol in the event a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19.
• Clubs and campus organizations are encouraged to meet virtually.
• For all UIL extracurricular activities, the district will follow all federal and state guidelines for spectators. The district reserves the right to limit spectators at its discretion to ensure social distancing and satisfy participant health and safety requirements. Elementary, Middle School and Junior High students will only be allowed to attend events with a parent/guardian. High School students may attend events without a parent but will be required to leave if they do not follow campus guidelines.
• All spectators attending an event must wear a face covering (age and health exceptions).

Visitors/Deliveries/Miscellaneous

• Pearland ISD will restrict all visitors to schools to only those essential to school operations.
• Visitors will not be allowed to visit during lunchtime.
• Excluding the parental drop-off and pick-up times, before visitors are allowed onto campuses, campus staff must screen all visitors for COVID-19 symptoms.
• Essential meetings will be done by appointment or through a virtual format.
• To ensure the safety of students and staff, no outside food deliveries will be accepted (i.e. food, gifts, DoorDash, etc.).
• If possible, campus staff will establish a “no contact” system to allow parents/guardians to drop off essential items to students during the school day.
• Until further notice, field trips will be postponed.
• Until further notice, there will be no large student assemblies.

Instruction methods offered

Pearland ISD plans to offer face-to-face and virtual instruction for the upcoming school year.

Face-to-face

This scenario will include in-person instruction, as well as utilizing the district-wide Learning Management Systems (LMS), Seesaw (grades PK-4) and Canvas (grades 5 – 12) in the classroom. This will ensure that students are familiar with the virtual platform in the event we have to quickly switch to an all-online setting. Pearland ISD highly recommends on-campus instruction for any students who experienced difficulty or were unsuccessful in the virtual learning platform in the Spring of 2020.

Virtual

Virtual instruction will be offered in both synchronous and asynchronous formats, and online instruction will be as rigorous as on-campus instruction.

The registration process for remote instruction will open in Skyward on July 22. The deadline for remote instruction selection must be completed by August 5.

Students who opt into this instruction method must commit to doing so for a nine-week grading period before transitioning to on-campus instruction.

• Remote Synchronous Instruction - Two-way, real-time/live virtual instruction between teachers and students when students are not on campus. In this method, the required amount of instructional time is scheduled each day. Synchronous instruction is provided through a computer or other electronic device.
• Remote Asynchronous Instruction - Instruction that does not require having the instructor and student engaged at the same time. In this method, students learn from instruction that is not necessarily being delivered in-person or in real time. The student is required to be engaged daily throughout the school day with work and the teacher is required to give daily feedback. Students may have set times they are required to interact virtually with the teacher.

Remote instruction will consist of the following:

Grades PK – 6:

• Remote synchronous instruction (most core content courses)
• Remote asynchronous instruction

Grades 7 – 12:

• Remote synchronous instruction (most core content courses)
• Remote asynchronous instruction (designated elective courses, some elective courses may not be offered)

In order to participate in virtual instruction, students must have access to the following:

• Broadband Internet access
• Updated iPads are preferred for Grades PK-1
• Laptop or desktop computer for use during each school day, touchscreen laptop preferred. (Monday-Friday)
• Access to a microphone and camera on the device

If a student does not have access to the above items, parents are encouraged to contact the Pearland ISD Technology Department. The district will provide leased devices for all students whose parents request them. The district can also supply access to the internet via a hot spot, if necessary.

Survey

Parents were emailed a link to a survey earlier in July.

Recent updates

Pearland ISD has reversed its decision to limit students who select remote instruction from participating in UIL and extracurricular activities.

Do you have questions about Pearland ISD’s plan?

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